The Red Shirts were threatening and physical from the kickoff, leaving the title holders Kandy SC in tatters, and eventually forcing star winger Dinal Ekanayake out of the game with a red card in the 13th minute. Lock Thilina Bandara went over in the 23rd minute under-the-post, and with scrumhalf Shahid Zumri’s conversion Kandy equalised. With scrumhalf Aruna Perera’s conversion Kandy led 14-7 up until the halftime. The Red Shirts bridged the gap with a penalty put over by Nanayakkara in the 53rd minute, after the resumption to close in by 14-10. The Red Shirts expanded the lead to a healthy 20-14, when scrumhalf Viduna Amaneth grabbed a wager from Zumri to run crisscross and post another unconverted try in the 70th minute as CR sensed a potential win.

Source: Sunday Times February 21, 2026 19:47 UTC