Maliban Inter-Club Rugby: Maduwantha masterclass flattens CH 50-17

Seasoned fly half Samuel Maduwantha delivered a place-kicking masterclass with a haul of 16 points, as Havelocks SC thumped CH and FC 50-17 in a dead rubber Maliban Inter-Club Super-Round Cup segment fixture at Racecourse Grounds yesterday (15).

The morale-boosting result lifted Havies to third place in the Cup segment of the points table, with both table-toppers CR and FC and defending champions Kandy SC set to contest the grand finale on 21 Saturday at Longden Place.

The Park Club first five eighth converted two tries, nailed three penalty goals and a 50-metre peach of a drop goal on the stroke of full-time, to put the icing on the cake for his team.

The visitors ultimately consigned the home team to a forgettable day at the office as the latter went scoreless after the turn around to end in fourth spot of the table.

Havies scored from six tries of which four were converted, with three penalties and a drop goal, to which the CH and FC could only muster two first-half converted tries and a penalty goal, in a tie which became one-way traffic after a closely-fought first 40-minutes.

For the winners who led 19-17 at half-time, prolific try-scorer right wing Jayathu Rajarathne led the scoring charts with a brace, while number eight Chathura Dilshan, Fijian lock Vunaki Waqanibau, centurion and hooker Azmir Fajudeen and captain and lock Janidu Fernando also dotted down each.

Full back Nabeel Yahiya and hooker Fajudeen also chipped in with a conversion each, as the Havies warmed up for the Clifford Cup Knockouts with a statement victory away from home.

For the Gymkhana Club hooker Pulasthi Dassanayake and skipper and inside centre Janindu Dilshan bagged a try a piece with full back Abdul Haadi converting both apart from slotting a penalty, in an encounter in which they struggled to exert any authority on the opposition in the second half. The match was controlled by Dechdanai Wongyuen from Thailand.

Source - The Morning