The game failed to provide the sparks expected of a game in the caliber of the deciding match of the points table. Both teams tried and failed in their attempts to rev up the pace of the game despite possessing fast runners.

Kandy SC came up against stiff resistance from CR&FC but managed to cross the opponent’s goal line once apart from getting five penalties through the uprights. CR responded with two penalties and drop goal.

Kandy SC got off to an explosive start with a penalty by Radika Hettiarachchi which was followed by a touch down by winger Sameera Silva.

Kandy’s fast running threes showed the will to run the ball but found the going tough due to some ruthless and well executed tackles by the CR threes.

CR’s fly half Dev Anand proved to be a bit of a disappointment with his kicking boots by missing some vital penalties. But he did enough to bridge the gap in points with a well taken penalty and drop goal in the first half.

Hettiarachchi fired across his second penalty to put Kandy SC 11 points to 6 in the lead before referee Nizam Jamaldeen blew the short whistle for half time.

The pace at which the Kandy SC three quarters ran was often jammed by the hard tackling CR threes, who stood out for tightening their defence.

Kandy’s full back Hettiarachchi was a tower of strength in defending and manned the last line of defence very well. He also executed some booming up and unders which sent the entire CR line into a defensive mode at times. CR’s third row forward Dushanth Lewke had an outstanding game in loose and also excelled in the line outs.

Kandy stretched their lead with a penalty by Hettiarachchi early in the second half.

Finding the CR defence to be rock solid, Kandy’s Fazil Marija tried a high kick inside the opponent’s 22 but Sanjeewa Jayasinghe who was moving into collect and score was bundled out of touch by his opposite number Mohammed Jabbar.

Hettiarachchi slammed his fourth penalty through the uprights ten minutes from the end to take Kandy’s score to 17 as against 6 by CR.