# 2017 Clifford Cup

The 82nd Clifford Cup tournament was held between the 17 and 26 February 2017. The 2016 Clifford Cup took place after the conclusion of the regular season, with teams seeded based on their performance in the 2016-17 Dialog Rugby League season.
The top seeded team in the competition, Kandy SC (the previous cup winner and the Dialog league champion) faced the lowly ranked Colombo Hockey and Football Club in the opening quarter-final match. Kandy SC dominated the game, accumulating nineteen tries to nil, with the final score being 121 points to three. Second seeded Havelock SC, were missing a number of the key play makers going into their quarter final match against Police SC however easily accounted for their opponents winning 46 points to 26. In the other quarter final matches Ceylonese Rugby & Football Club (CR & FC) narrowly overcame Air Force SC 36 to 33, with a solitary penalty being the only difference between the two sides, and Navy SC defeated Army SC 35 to 25.
The Sri Lanka Rugby Football Union appointed Julien Castaignede, a French rugby referee, to officiate for the two semi-finals and the final.
In the first semi-final encounter played at the Nittawela Rugby Stadium Kandy SC soundly defeated CR & FC 56 points to 16 points, whilst Havelock SC dominated Navy SC at the Colombo Racecourse winning 39 points to 13.
The final was held at Nittawela Rugby Stadium in wet conditions, following a heavy downpour before the game commenced. Havelock SC dominated the early stages of the match until a crucial injury to key playmaker, Dulaj Perera. Havelock scored first with a penalty in the 8th minute however Kandy equalised five minutes later. A few minutes later Kandy crossed the line with the first try of the day by Gayan Weeraratne, which was converted by Thilina Wijesinghe. Weeraratne followed this up soon after with a second try, also converted by Wijesinghe and minutes before half-time veteran Fazil Marija crossed the line for Kandy SC a third time, which was also converted, resulting in a 24 to 3 score. After the break Havelock SC again dominated the early stages of the second half, with Nishon Perera scoring back to back tries, although Hirantha Perera only converted one. Wijesinghe then managed to score a 30 m (98 ft) drop goal before Havelock's Dushmantha Priyadarshana scored a try bringing them to with seven points. Kandy SC however then put the game out of reach through a try by Richard Dharmapala. The final score line being 30 points to 20, securing Kandy SC's twentieth Clifford Cup.

## Bracket

| Quarter-finals | Quarter-finals | Semi-finals | Semi-finals | | Final | Final |
| 17 February 2017 - 16:15 Nittawela Rugby Stadium | 17 February 2017 - 16:15 Nittawela Rugby Stadium | | | |
| Kandy SC | 121 | | | |
| Kandy SC | 121 | 22 February 2017 - 16:15 Nittawela Rugby Stadium | 22 February 2017 - 16:15 Nittawela Rugby Stadium | | |
| CH & FC | 3 | 22 February 2017 - 16:15 Nittawela Rugby Stadium | 22 February 2017 - 16:15 Nittawela Rugby Stadium | |
| CH & FC | 3 | Kandy SC | 56 | |
| 17 February 2017 - 16:15 Colombo Racecourse | 17 February 2017 - 16:15 Colombo Racecourse | | Kandy SC | 56 | |
| 17 February 2017 - 16:15 Colombo Racecourse | 17 February 2017 - 16:15 Colombo Racecourse | CR & FC | 16 | |
| CR & FC | 36 | CR & FC | 16 | |
| CR & FC | 36 | | | | 26 February 2017 - 16:15 Nittawela Rugby Stadium | 26 February 2017 - 16:15 Nittawela Rugby Stadium |
| Air Force SC | 33 | | | | 26 February 2017 - 16:15 Nittawela Rugby Stadium | 26 February 2017 - 16:15 Nittawela Rugby Stadium |
| Air Force SC | 33 | | | | Kandy SC | 32 |
| 18 February 2017 - 16:15 Colombo Racecourse | 18 February 2017 - 16:15 Colombo Racecourse | | | | | Kandy SC | 32 |
| 18 February 2017 - 16:15 Colombo Racecourse | 18 February 2017 - 16:15 Colombo Racecourse | | | | Havelock SC | 20 |
| Havelock SC | 46 | | | | Havelock SC | 20 |
| Havelock SC | 46 | 23 February 2017 - 16:15 Colombo Racecourse | 23 February 2017 - 16:15 Colombo Racecourse | | | |
| Police SC | 26 | 23 February 2017 - 16:15 Colombo Racecourse | 23 February 2017 - 16:15 Colombo Racecourse | | | |
| Police SC | 26 | Havelock SC | 39 | | | |
| 19 February 2017 - 16:15 Colombo Racecourse | 19 February 2017 - 16:15 Colombo Racecourse | | Havelock SC | 39 | | | |
| 19 February 2017 - 16:15 Colombo Racecourse | 19 February 2017 - 16:15 Colombo Racecourse | Navy SC | 13 | |
| Navy SC | 35 | Navy SC | 13 | |
| Army SC | 25 | | | |

## Matches
### Quarter-finals

* 17 February 2017 16:15
| Kandy SC | 121 - 3 | CH & FC |
| Try: Thilina Wijesinghe (1) Vishva Mithra Jayasinghe (4) Dhanushka Ranjan (2) Richard Dharmapala (4) Yakoob Ali (1) Tharindu Chathuranga (1) Roshan Weerarathne (1) Buwaneka Udangamuwa (1) Lavanga Perera (1) Srinath Sooriyabandaara (2) Arshad Jamaldeen (1) Con: Thilina Wijesinghe (11) Arshad Jamaldeen (1) Yakob Ali (1) | report | Pen: Shamri Burah (1) |
* Nittawela Rugby Stadium Referee: Aruna Rankothge
* 17 February 2017 16:15
| CR & FC | 36 - 33 | Air Force SC |
| Try: Kavindu Perera (2) Sashan Mohammed (1) Panduka Anganmana (1) Nalin Kumara (1) Con: Nalin Kumara (4) Pen: Nalin Kumara (1) | report | Try: Gayantha Iddamalgoda (3) Anjna Vinod (1) Supun Madhushanka (1) Con: Gayantha Iddamalgoda (4) |
* Colombo Racecourse Referee: Priyantha Gunarathne
* 18 February 2017 16:15
| Havelock SC | 46 - 26 | Police SC |
| Try: Chamika Samarathunge (2) Sudam Suriarachchi (1) Hirantha Perera (1) Prashanth Madusanka (1) Nishon Perera (2) Sudarshana Muthuthanthri (1) Con: Hirantha Perera (3) | report | Try: Udara Gayan (1) Abzal Mohomad (1) Radeesha Senevirathna (2) Con: Rajitha Sansony (3) |
* Colombo Racecourse
* 19 February 2017 16:15
| Navy SC | 35 - 25 | Army SC |
| Try: Dulanja Wijesinghe (1) Thilina Weerasinghe (2) Richie Dharmapala (1) Supun Dilshan (1) Con: Thilina Weerasinghe (5) | report | Try: Ashan Bandara (1) Gayan Salinda (1) Penalty Try (1) Manoj Bandara (1) Con: Gayan Salinda (1) Pen: Gayan Salinda (1) |
* Colombo Racecourse Referee: Dinka Peiris

### Semi-finals

* 22 February 2017
| Kandy SC | 56 - 16 | CR & FC |
| Try: Dhanuska Ranjan (3) Visva Mithra Jayasinghe (1) Danush Dayan (1) Buwaneka Udangamuwa (1) Yakoob Ali (1) Richard Dharmapala (1) Suhiru Anthony (1) Con: Thilina Wijesinghe (3) Nigel Rattwatte (1) Pen: Thilina Wijesinghe (1) | report | Try: Omalka Gunaratne (1) Con: Ashan de Costa (1) Pen: Nalin Kumara (3) |
* Nittawela Rugby Stadium Referee: Julian Castaignede
* 23 February 2017
| Havelock SC | 39 - 13 | Navy SC |
| Try: Sudam Suriyarachi (2) Nishon Perera (2) Vimukthi Rahula (1) Niroshan Fernando (1) Con: Hirantha Perera (3) Pen: Hirantha Perera (1) | report | Try: Roshan Ranasinghe (1) Con: Thilina Weerasinghe (1) Pen: Thilina Weerasinghe (2) |
* Colombo Racecourse Referee: Julian Castaignede

### Final

* 26 February 2017
| Kandy SC | 32 -20 | Havelock SC |
| Try: Gayan Weeraratne (2) Richard Dharmapala (1) Fazil Marija (1) Con: Thilina Wijesinghe (3) Pen: Thilina Wijesinghe (1) Drop: Thilina Wijesinghe (1) | report | Try: Nishon Perera (2) Dushmantha Priyadarshana (1) Con: Hirantha Perera (1) Pen: Hirantha Perera (1) |
* Nittawela Rugby Stadium Referee: Julian Castaignede
| FB | 15 | Thilina Wijesinghe |
| RW | 14 | Richard Dharmapala |
| OC | 13 | Dhanushka Ranjan |
| IC | 12 | Gayan Weerarathna |
| LW | 11 | Vishwammithra Jayasinghe |
| FH | 10 | Fazil Marijan |
| SH | 9 | Roshan Weerarathna |
| N8 | 16 | Buwaneka Udangamuwa |
| OF | 18 | Tharindu Chathuranga |
| BF | 6 | Shehan Pathirana |
| RL | 5 | Dimitri Wijethunga |
| LL | 7 | Sohiru Anthony |
| TP | 19 | Ali Mohamed |
| HK | 2 | Damith Dissanayake |
| LP | 1 | Ganuka Dissanayake |
| Replacements: ||
| | 3 | Piyumal Manchanayake |
| | 30 | Lasitha Attanagoda |
| | 8 | Heshan Silva |
| | 4 | Gayan Rathnayaka |
| | 22 | Srinath Sooriyabandara |
| | 17 | Dashna Dayan |
| | 20 | Naijel Rathwatte |
| | 25 | Lawanga Perera |
| FB | 15 | Kevin Dixon |
| RW | 30 | Vimukthi Rahula |
| OC | 13 | Nishon Perera |
| IC | 12 | Hirantha Perera |
| LW | 11 | Chamara Dabare |
| FH | 10 | Niroshan Fernando |
| SH | 9 | Sudam Sooriyarachchi |
| N8 | 7 | Sudarshana Muthuthanthri |
| OF | 6 | Senal Deelaka |
| BF | 33 | Sithum Peiris |
| RL | 22 | Umesh Madushan |
| LL | 19 | Janik Jayasuriya |
| TP | 3 | Dushmantha Priyadarshana |
| HK | 2 | Prasath Madhusankha |
| LP | 1 | Ashan Darling |
| Replacements: ||
| | 16 | Liston Flatney |
| | 28 | Udana Anjana |
| | 34 | Jason Melder |
| | 17 | Sharo Fernando |
| | 20 | Shehan Dias |
| | 4 | Ganidu Lakshan |
| | 32 | Rahul de Silva |
| | 23 | Chamika Samarathunga |