- Martis’ team back to the drawing board
The New Zealand Under 85 kg rugby team took the lopsided two-match Test series 2-0, after cruising to a comfortable 32-6 win in the second and final match at the Race Course Grounds last evening (10).
The Kiwis – a representative side in the weight-restricted category who undertook their maiden tour of Sri Lanka – hardly got into first gear, managing to see off the home team’s weak overall shift without much fuss.
They did enough to get across the line after having clinched the first Test 50-10 in Nittawela last week, as the Tuskers’ sorry effort further underlined their current standing in the world game.
The New Zealanders, who led 17-3 at half-time, scored from five tries of which two were converted plus a penalty goal, which the Lankans could only counter with a penalty goal each in either half.
For the tourists, skipper and fly-half Jarred Percival led from the front with a brace of first-half tries, while left-wing Pieter Swarts, openside flanker Josh Gellert, and outstanding fullback Francis Morrison also crossed over.
Percival converted his second try for a personal haul of 12 points, while substitute back Eamon Reilly, who came on in the second-half, slotted a 40-metre penalty and converted Gellert’s try.
A feature of the game was the superior technical efficiency of the visitors from start to finish, while their scrambling defence kept the Lankans at bay in what proved to be a one-horse race.
The home side were also guilty of blowing a few scoring opportunities in the first 40-minute period, but overall their game management and decision-making left much to be desired.
For the winners, skipper Percival scored two counter-attacking moves in the 11th and 20th minutes, respectively, having run impressive supporting lines.
Wing Swarts then finished off a sweeping backline move in the 27th minute to silence the vocal home crowd.
For the Lankans, inside centre Tarinda Ratwatte, who started at fly-half in the absence of dengue-stricken regular Captain Nigel Ratwatte, fired a 22nd minute penalty.
In the second half, the New Zealand Under 85 kg team scored a further 15 points, courtesy of two five-pointers from Gellert (60th minute) and Morrison (10 minutes from time), respectively, besides Reilly’s (56th minute) penalty, to put the issue beyond doubt.
Ratwatte’s 54th minute 30-metre penalty was by and large a modest return for a first-choice local outfit, who flattered to deceive their followers.
They will now head to the drawing board to prepare for more of the same against the likes of South Korea, Hong Kong, and the UAE during June-July as part of the Asia Top 4 series.
(JK)