China pushed the Tuskers to the final whistle, however, it was the Sri Lanka 7’s outfit that prevailed 17-12 in a grueling quarter-final, booking a semi-final spot against mighty Japan and keeping the nation’s medal hopes alive.
Sri Lanka lined up against China –who finished with a similar record in the group stage (2W 1L) — in the quarter-final as both teams had everything to play for, with the winner lining up against the mighty Japanese on Day 3.
The Tuskers got off to the worst possible start, conceding early on as Chao Zhang crossed the white wash. The try went unconverted as the Tuskers struggled to find their footing in the early exchanges.
Following an exceptional first game of the day, Sudam Sooriyarchchi carried his great form into this crucial quarter-final bout, giving Sri Lanka a much-needed kick-start, scoring a converted try to take the Tuskers ahead.
One try brought about two more as the Tuskers crossed the line twice before the end of the first half through Srinath Sooriyabandara and Tharinda Ratwatte. Both conversions went astray as the Tuskers brought life back into their game, going into halftime with a commanding 12-point lead.
Halftime: Sri Lanka 17 – China 05
Following an exhausting end to the first half, Changshun Shan scored a brilliant try, converting himself to make it a 5-point game with plenty of time left in the second half.
Both teams rung the changes as fatigue seemed to set-into both camps, however, neither team was able to break through as a grueling second half drew to an end with the Sri Lanka Tuskers holding on for a hard-fought win, booking a place in the Semifinals tomorrow.
Full time: Sri Lanka 17 beat China 12
Score breakdown:
Sri Lanka – Sudam Sooriyarchchi (1-try, 1-conversion) Srinath Sooriyabandara (1-try), Tharinda Ratwatte (1-try),
China – Chao Zhang (1-try), Changshun Shan (1-try, 1-conversion)
