Sri Lanka Navy torpedoes Rugby Giants

The Sri Lanka Navy Rugger Team raised many eyebrows yesterday (31st May) when they beat the formidable CH&FC, 18 to12 in a Caltex Premier League Rugby Championship match played at Maitland Crescent.

The underdogs Sri Lanka Navy finally broke the 20 year jinx by scoring one goal, one try, one penalty and one drop goal to beat the strong CH&FC outfit who could only manage with one goal and one try. Led by former Thomian player Sub Lieutenant Yoshitha Rajapaksha, the Navy uprooted the CH&FC and sent them packing. Incidentally, the First Lady Madam Shiranthi Rajapaksha was there to witness the match as the Chief Guest.

This is a come back match for the Sri Lanka Navy after a lull due to the recalling of sports teams to man bases in the war zone. The Sri Lanka Navy not only is tasked with the policing of the Island’s seas but also with retaining control of land basses in order to supplement the Army. Since the end of the war the Commander of the Sri Lanka Navy Admiral Wasantha Karannagoda has taken measures to revive all Naval sports teams and is paying special attention to the future dominance of the sports arena by the Sri Lanka Navy. This win against a Ruggar giant speaks for its self the success gained by the SLN Rugger Team within a short period of time.

During a previous match with the Sri Lanka Army, the Sri Lanka Navy team had to play sans three key players who were unable to play due to injury. Even though the Sri Lanka Navy team lost, they were able to give the soldiers a tough fight. Commodore NKD Nanayakkara, the Chairman of the Sri Lanka Navy Rugger Committee is optimistic about the future of rugger in the Sri Lanka Navy. He says more victories are to follow in the future.