• Coach feels trophy within team’s reach 

Sri Lanka head coach Sanath Martis was content with the ‘Tuskers’, crushing 45-10 win over India, in their Asia Rugby Championship knock-out match on Tuesday (30 April), at Racecourse grounds in Colombo, despite the team having got together within a fortnight.

However, he felt that the home team had still ‘left a few tries out there’ due to faulty decision-making and said that it is an aspect that his players will need to address, heading into Saturday’s (4) decider against Kazakhstan, at the same venue.

The veteran coach said that the hosts playing their first international, in over five years, had acquitted themselves well on the day.

“For a team that got together, for only a two-week period, I am quite pleased with their outing against India,” he told The Daily Morning Sports, 24 hours after, they had dispatched their novice neighbours.

“However, we still have some areas where we looked rusty and we need to iron them out as is the case after each international. I also felt that poor decision-making also cost us a few tries. The talent of the players is immense and it showed. I am quite confident they will deliver come the decider.”  

But, he stressed that slippery underfoot conditions and a greasy ball, emanating due to heavy thunderstorms, ahead of kick off, had prevented the Lankans from piling up an even bigger score.

Martis was of the view, that the final score line, was a clear reflection of the current gulf in class, between his side and India in 15-a-side rugby and commended his players, for outplaying their opponents, with seven tries to one, in a lop-sided affair, under floodlights.

Asked whether he was surprised with Kazakhstan, having booked their place in the final ahead of Qatar, the seasoned coach said they were only focused on their performance and was not unduly concerned, who their adversaries were going to be in the finale.

Kazakhstan edged out Qatar 33-31, in an exciting game earlier on Tuesday, after the kick off had been delayed by 1 hour, due to severe torrential rains and lightning and Suhiru Anthony’s team and Kazakhs, will clash for the silverware, at 7 p.m. in two day’s time. 

The winner of the final will qualify for Asia Top 4 segment from 2025, currently consisting of Hong Kong China, Korea, Malaysia and UAE, while in the preceding fixture India will tackle Qatar, to avoid relegation to Division-2, from next year.