Sports

Hurricane force in dead rubber

Published

5 years ago

2021/05/3

by Rajitha Ratwatte

It was emphasised that the game between bottom of the table Hurricanes and the Otago Highlanders was not a dead rubber, in view of the trans-Tasman stage of the super rugby tournament that is due to commence in two weeks time. If the Highlanders won this, it would give their coach some satisfaction as it would mean that they had beaten all the participating Aotearoa teams at least once. The conditions started off perfect with no wind and great conditions underfoot. Rain was predicted later.

The first scrum was in the second minute of the game, it had to be reset twice and finally the Hurricanes conceded an easily kickable penalty due to their tight head prop Tyrell Lomax being pinged for collapsing the scrum. Mitch Hunt the Otago number10 made no mistake, 3 -0 lead to the visitors. A series of kicks for territory ensued, reminding one of the old days when Rugby Union used to be referred to by its detractors, particularly from rugby league as “kick and clap”! Seven minutes into the game Karefi of the Hurricanes in the no seven jersey broke through the ‘Landers defence and found that irrepressible playmaker Dan Coles who wears the no two jersey but plays more like an open side flanker and also spends a lot of time lurking on the wing, he then passed inside to the no eight Flanders who showed good speed to canter over the line and score. Jordie Barret converted 3–7 and the Hurricane gathers force. The ‘Canes were awarded two kickable penalties in the course of the ensuing play but chose the touch option each time. Meanwhile in the 15th minute Dan Coles who characterises his brilliant loose play with the occasional “push and shove” got into a brawl with the Highlanders no10 Mitch Hunt. The resultant TV replay saw both parties at fault and two concurrent yellow cards were issued to two key players in either side! The referee Ben O ‘Keefe gave a long-winded explanation and justified his actions.

The Otago team was able to take advantage of the 14 man per side game first, with Josh Dickson the brother of their captain scoring right of the posts in the 17th minute. Easily converted even in the absence of Mitch Hunt and the ‘Landers back into the lead at 10 – 7. Now it was the Highlanders turn to turn down kickable penalties probably due to their first-choice place kicker being in the sin bin and two such opportunities were disregarded for territory gains. The penalty count was reading 2 – 6 against the Hurricanes and at this point both yellow carded players came back on the field. Jonah Nareki that highly rated young winger from Otago who started his super rugby career with a bang scoring two tries on debut, streaked over the line to score mid left after some great phase play with the Otago no eight, Japanese international Kazuki Himeno participating on two occasions. Additional points for conversion added and the score reading 17 – 7 for the Otago boys. The 33rd minute saw a penalty right in front of the posts disregarded for a scrum and the 20-year-old Hurricanes no10 Rueben Love dropped the ball on the line! Rueben Love has loads of talent and will be a star of the future but right now straight out of school, he looks a little lost at this level of the game. This is a real case for taking the club game to a higher level from the sponsor ship money that will become available if the senior players in NZ rugby agree to the mega bucks sponsorship deal that is pending from an American organization.

36 minutes into the game a captain’s referral made by Aaron Smith the All Blacks and Otago no nine against Dan Coles who was up to his tricks again, went against the challenger and the penalty was reversed and Otago lost their right to challenge for the rest of the game. This penalty although easily kickable for points was not taken and territory was preferred once again. The weather decided to support its namesake the Hurricanes with a fresh breeze and some rain coming down at this stage of the game. Dan Coles continued his impact on the game scoring a try mid left off some bruising loose play. Jordie Barret was unable to convert, and the score read 17 -11 with Otago ahead. A long kick by Jordie Barret went over the goal (probably due to the wind and rain) and a simple touch down would have resulted in a goal line drop out but a brain freeze by midfielder Gilbert of the ‘Lander saw him slice the attempted clearance and give the ‘Canes just what they wanted, an attacking line out well inside Otago territory. A penalty was awarded to the Wellington side from the ensuing maul, right in front of the posts and with the half time hooter echoing across the ground Jordie Barret took the home side even closer to their opponents 17 – 15.

The first minute of the second half saw Nani Laumape of the Hurricanes playing mid field and making a real bid for a place in the national side, beating Aaron Smith with a sprint for the goal line off a chip kick and scoring far left. Barret converted from a difficult angle and the ‘Canes into the lead 17 -22. It looked like the Highlanders came back straight away, stringing together 13 phases of play and Smith with a great pass sending no14 Sam Gilbert over the line. However, a captain’s challenge from the canny Dan Coles pointed out a marginal knock forward by the attacking side and the try was disallowed. The wind and the rain started up in earnest and a rather messy and scrappy period of play ensued. We have been spoilt in Aotearoa this Autumn, having lovely sunshine and little rain. We have forgotten that most of our Autumn rugby is usually played in wet and muddy conditions with the forwards dominating play! 52 minutes into the game and Dan Coles was subbed off, as no doubt the coaches were satisfied with his contribution to the game.

One minute later Rueben Love decided to showcase some of his talent by hitting a gap, showing a fantastic turn of speed and passing to Karefi from the third row who scored within easy converting distance for their strapping full back and the youngest of the Barret brothers, Jordie. 17 – 29 Hurricanes blowing hard! The Otago lads were not done yet and in the 57th minute another possible 3 pointer was disregarded, and the ensuing line out saw their skipper Ash Dickson score far right of the posts. The conversion was missed 22 -29 Hurricanes prevail. There was a lot of aggression from both sides, uncharacteristic for a local derby and also a virtual dead rubber. In the 70th minute Nani Laumape made another great break and Braydon Iose wearing the no20 jersey and in as a substitute third rower scored after a long thrilling run, far left of the posts. Barret missed the conversion, 22 -34 Hurricanes surging ahead. Less than 3 minutes from the end Solesi Rayasi scythed his way through the Highlander defence for over 35 meters and scored mid left. This was converted and the final score read 22 – 41 with the Wellington Hurricanes finally living up to their potential even in the absence of their regular captain Aardie Savea.

An item that may have caught the readers interest could have been the mention of the pending Mega sponsorship deal pending from an American organization. New Zealand Rugby has received a $465 million offer from US technology investment giants Silver Lake for a 15 per cent share of commercial rights valued at $3.1 billion. All provincial and club rugby organizations have voted in favour of this deal. However the current All Blacks players have the final say as it may result in less money for them in the form of match fees. The sponsorship money is expected to flow down to the lower levels of the game and NZ rugby has never seen such sums before. The players decision is awaited with trepidation and anticipation.

supersubsports@gmail.com

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Sports

Quicks, rotate them and look after them

Published

6 mins ago

2026/09/9

Sahan Weerasooriya

Dushmantha Chameera and Dilshan Madushanka are a treat to watch when on full flow but both have been injured all too frequently.

by Rex Clementine

Despite the disappointment over how Sri Lanka’s cricket teams have fared in recent years, there is one format in which they have managed to hold their heads high, ODI cricket. There are a couple of notable feathers in their cap too, having beaten Australia and India, the world’s two top ranked teams and finalists at the last World Cup.

Those impressive performances against the heavyweights have ensured that Sri Lanka are out of the woods this time around. Unlike ahead of the 2023 World Cup, they will not have to endure the indignity of a qualifying tournament to book their ticket to South Africa in 2027.

How they fare once they get there, of course, is another question altogether.

Sri Lanka failed to progress beyond the first round in both 2019 and 2023, a sharp contrast to their impressive run from 2003 to 2015. Across those four World Cups, they twice finished runners-up, reached a semi-final on another occasion and made the quarter-finals in the other.

If Sri Lanka are to make an impact in South Africa, one thing they must do is wrap their fast bowlers in cotton wool. Fast bowling has been one of the brighter areas of Sri Lankan cricket in recent years and there can hardly be a better place to cash in than South Africa, where hard, bouncy surfaces tend to put a spring in the step of any quick worth his salt.

The key man, obviously, is Dushmantha Chameera. The quickest bowler in the country, Chameera is now being used only in white ball cricket and that should make workload management considerably easier. Sri Lanka would be wise to count how many limited overs games they have between now and the World Cup rather than wheel him out for every bilateral contest.

Keep him for the important assignments, such as the Asia Cup. Then there is the IPL, where he will understandably want to ply his trade. Manage him sensibly and by the time the World Cup comes around this time next year, Sri Lanka could have a fresh and firing Chameera rather than one held together by strapping and hope.

Then there is Asitha Fernando, whose progress over the last five years has been remarkable. Currently ranked just outside the top ten among Test bowlers, he has earned admiration for his ability to make things happen, particularly with the older ball. He keeps asking questions even when conditions are against him.

A stint with Glamorgan last year appears to have added a few more tricks to his armoury as well. Asitha is no longer simply a wholehearted fast bowler. He is developing into a clever one.

Lahiru Kumara is another serious weapon. The second quickest bowler in the country behind Chameera, he can be devastating when fully fit. His career should probably have produced far more by now, but, like Chameera, injuries have repeatedly applied the handbrake.

Eshan Malinga, meanwhile, has arguably been the most improved fast bowler in the country over the last 12 months. He has pace, guile and every time you watch him, there seems to be another little trick added to his repertoire. The upcoming series against England should tell us plenty about how far he has come.

Eshan has already become a regular fixture for his IPL franchise. It should only be a matter of time before he establishes himself in similar fashion for Sri Lanka.

Then there is Dilshan Madushanka to provide the left-arm variety. When in full flow, he is a treat to watch. His ability to strike with the new ball makes him particularly valuable and when batters attempt to force the pace against him, he can be deadly. Used aggressively during the Power Play, he should provide plenty of early breakthroughs.

That makes Sri Lanka’s use of their quicks during the upcoming tour of England, particularly in the ODIs, worth watching closely. With the World Cup in mind, there is little sense in flogging the same men game after game. Rotate them, manage them and make sure the main weapons are still firing when the bigger battles arrive.

There are also Matheesha Pathirana and Nuwan Thushara, the two slingers, although that style of bowling increasingly looks as though it is losing some of its novelty as batters become accustomed to it.

One man Sri Lanka should certainly not overlook is Milan Rathnayake. He bowls at a decent pace, bats beautifully and is probably the best fielder among the fast bowlers. That package could prove invaluable in South African conditions.

Sri Lanka have spent years searching for a pace attack with depth. They finally appear to have one. The challenge now is to preserve them. South Africa will reward pace. Sri Lanka’s job over the next year is to make sure their quicks land in Johannesburg fit.

Sports

Harsha sends authorities a message with 800m National Championship record

Published

7 mins ago

2026/09/9

Sahan Weerasooriya

Harsha Karunaratne established a new meet record in the men's 800 metres at the National Athletics Championship. Shehan Dilranga (left) also bettered the previous mark. (Pic by Kamal Wanniarachchi)

Harsha Karunaratne produced one of the highlights of the 104th National Athletics Championship, clocking 1:47.80 to win the men’s 800 metres on the final day on Sunday. His performance shattered the meet record and became the fastest 800m ever run by a Sri Lankan on home soil.

‎Trained by veteran middle-distance coach Susantha Fernando, Karunaratne’s run carried an extra edge as he is the only gold medallist from the 2025 South Asian Championship who has not been picked for the Mission Olympic programme. His performance at the Nationals looked very much like a statement to selectors. His training partner, Shehan Dilranga, backed up the effort with a personal best of his own, finishing second in 1:48.43.

‎Karunaratne is also the brother of Tharushi Karunarathna, the Asian Games gold medallist, keeping the family name prominent in Sri Lankan track and field.

‎Former Ratnayake Central Walala athlete came almost close to breaking the national record of Indunil Herath.

‎Indunil Herath, who also emerged from the same school established the national record (1:47.13) at the Kenyan President’s Cup in 2018.

‎The gap is just 0.67 seconds — a small margin in an event where fractions of a second separate medals. Herath, a Sri Lanka Army athlete, set his mark abroad after trining in Kenya, and it has stood since. Herath was also a two-time South Asian Games gold medallist (2016, 2019) and won silver at the 2017 Asian Indoor and Martial Arts Games, giving context to just how significant that record has been for Sri Lankan middle-distance running.

‎What makes Karunaratne’s run notable is that his was achieved on home soil, making it the fastest 800m ever recorded by a Sri Lankan athlete within the country — even if the outright national record, set overseas, remains marginally quicker.

‎With Herath’s mark now under genuine threat and a training partner also running a personal best alongside him, Karunaratne’s performance suggests Sri Lanka’s 800m depth is improving. It also sharpens the debate around his omission from the Mission Olympic programme — a decision that, on the evidence of this race, authorities may be forced to revisit. (RF)

Sports

Royal ‘B’ face Sir John Kotalawala in U17 Division II Cricket semi-final

Published

8 mins ago

2026/09/9

Sahan Weerasooriya

Pulina Jayanandana (Captain - Sir John Kothalawala College) / Thumindu Somasiri (Captain - Royal College)

Defending champions Royal College Colombo ‘B’ will meet Sir John Kotalawala College, Kurunegala, in the semi-final of the Under-17 Division II Inter-Schools Limited Overs Cricket Tournament at Ananda Mawatha today.

‎Royal ‘B’, led by Thumindu Somasiri, have marched into the last four with a series of convincing knockout victories. After entering the second round as runners-up of their first-round group, they defeated De Mazenod College Kandana ‘B’, P. De S. Kularathna College Ambalangoda and Royal College Panadura in successive rounds.

‎Sir John Kotalawala College, captained by Pulina Jayanandana, have followed a similar path. The Kurunegala side, also group runners-up, overcame Jaffna Central College in the second round before accounting for St. Peter’s College Negombo in the pre-quarter-finals and Debarawewa National School in the quarter-finals.

‎The tournament began with 65 teams competing in eight groups, with the top four from each group advancing to the second round. The competition switched to a knockout format from that stage, with 32 teams battling for honours.

‎With the defending champions bidding to move one step closer to retaining their title and Kotalawala Kurunegala looking to extend their impressive run, a keenly contested semi-final is in prospect.

‎Teams

‎Royal College Colombo ‘B

‘ (from): Thumindu Somasiri (Captain), Rasula Madarasinghe, Isuka Wickaramasinghe, Vinuka Kodithuwakku, Manish Wijesundara, Sithuka Alwis, Aadam Rahimdeenm Senuth Perera, Kumuthulu Goonathilake, Dinuja Wellahewage, Dulna Nimnal, Binara Kulasekara, Senesh Rathnayaka, Harin Mendis, Nethuka Gamage, Mindula Madev, Gangulsara Jayasinghe

‎Officials: Nayana Devendra (Master in charge), Gamini Perera (Head coach), Prageeth Ferdinando (Assistant coach), Charith Fernando (Asst. coach), Kasun Madusanka (Asst. Coach)

‎ Sir John Kothalawala College (from): Pulina Jayanandana (Captain), Keneesha Yashmika (Vice Captain), Vihaga Kumarasinghe, Hesith Nelumdeniya, Janidu Jayasundara, Indeepa Karunanayake, Thimal Witharana, Videw Thennakoon, Niphwas Al Hasan, Gagana Weerasinghe, Leshan Bandara, Sayura Siriwardhana, Sasanka Premasiri, Yashen Pathmalal, Mohomad Nafees, Udula Amarasuriya, Romidu Hasaral

‎Officials: A M W. Eriyawa (Master in Charge), A. M. R. D. B.Abesinghe (Master in Charge), S. Y. Gayashan Samarathunga (Head Coach), A M. Chamidu Yasanga Adhikari (Asst. Coach)