A highly rejuvenated Sri Lanka rugby team played to their fullest potential, or even better so to say the least, to thrash the Malaysian outfit by a massive 59 points (9 tries, 7 conversions) to 19 points (3 tries, 2 conversions) in an Asia Rugby Emirates Men’s Championship Playoff 2025 played at the Race Course ground yesterday.
It was an unbelievable display of high standard with the Sri Lanka team treating the Malaysian team who played like school kids and unable to cope with the speed and diligent running by the Lanka back division who made the openings with their scything and penetrative running.
Even the forwards gave a superb display of defence show that nailed the Malaysian back division and forwards to a standstill. They had their chances with a few attacking play among the forwards who looked dangerous when they were attacking the Sri Lanka goal line. They only had their Fijian forward who was able to penetrate the Sri Lanka defence and score the tries. He was their number eight Estonia Vaga who managed to score a hat-trick of tries all of it when making moves close to the Lankan goal line.
Sri Lanka scored four tries in the second half that gave them a massive lead. They started with a try early in the half through a series of moves that saw winger Dinal Ekanayake going over untouched.
This was followed by another try by when Dinal scored again off a move. Both these tries were converted by Murshid Doray to give Sri Lanka a commanding lead of 47 points to just 7.
Vaga scored his second try after that was converted by Nazrin Fitri to add up to 14 points.
Sri Lanka scored next when Janidu Dilshan intercepted a move among the Malaysian backs and scored under the post. Doray converted with ease.
Malaysia scored their third try by Vaga again who received the ball off a line out and dashed over.
Sri Lanka finished it off with another try by Dahan Wickremarachchi off a rolling maul having won a line out.
Doray failed to convert and Sri Lanka led by 59 points to 19.
The first half saw Sri Lanka dominate with their determined and constructive plan. They ran the ball around and scored first by Janidu Dilshan off a three quarter move.
Malaysia scored their first try in the 15th minute through Vaga after winning a scrum. This try was converted by Aqil and that was all the scoring they did in the first half.
Thereafter Sri Lanka ran circles around the Malaysians and scored almost at will.
They scored through Danushka Ranjan, Akash Madhushanka, Dinal Elanayake and Naveen Marasinghe that came their way through sheer hard work.
These tries were converted by Doray and Sri Lanka led by 33 points to 7 at half time.
Javo Dewit of UAE refereed.
Soon after half time Sri Lanka team was changed with almost half of their players giving way to others who continued to play entertainingly.
