LIONS, CHEETAHS ON THE PROWL
Mumbai Newsline, India
Sept 26 2005
Express News Service
Mumbai, September 25: There are whispered apprehensions that rugby in
India may go the soccer way – with foreign players shaping the outcomes
of the first round matches in a big way, at the 72nd Hutch all-India
and South Asia tournament, currently underway at Priyadarshini Park.
The grumbling turns into a convenient excuse, if the team in question
has lost its opening encounter.
The irony is that all teams, save the cops and armymen who fought
valiantly before going down to the UK-based British Asian Rugby
Association (BARA), have included players with some degree of
experience abroad and the general consensus is that their presence
can only improve the standards of Indian rugby, as long as the trend
is tempered and number restricted to four.
Meanwhile, holders Chennai Cheetahs, had an indifferent first half,
sluggish by their standards (leading 21-0), against Delhi Hurricanes
as they kicked off their title defence.
Led by their Armenian duo of Emil Vartazarian and Henrik Trechonian,
the Cheetahs did go full blast after the changeover. Second-half
introduction Kiwi Brad Cari spurred them on with his twin-tries as
they finished with a convincing 62-0 margin against the minnows.
BARA – the Cheetah’s potential roadblocks to the finals, were
tested initially by Indian Army ‘A’, but were loaded with too much
muscle-power to trouble their opponents on way to a 37-0 win.
Delhi Lions won the third match of the day 34-18 against Kolkata
Police.
Results Chennai Cheetahs 62 (Emil Vartazarian 1 try, 6 conversions,
Antony Rehutai, Suresh Kulathuagan, Moorthy Vinayaka, Conrade Gomes,
Manmandir Samra (1 try each), Henrik Trechonian and Brad Cari 2 tries
each) bt Delhi Hurricanes 0 (HT 21-0). Delhi Lions 34 (Saminder Davas
3 tries, Davinder Lauchab 1 try, Aadesh Kumar 1 try, Rajesh Kumar 1
try, Happy Lauchab 2 conversions) bt Kolkatta Police 18 (Ajit Rehman,
Subroto Das, Subrotoik Pramanik (1 try each), Pintu Das 1 penalty
conversion) (HT 17-3). BARA 37 (Phill Khan 2 tries, Rashid Mehmood 2
tries, Manny Rehmaul, Zenad Malik (1 try each), Paul Akaday 1 try &
1 Conversion) bt Army ‘A’ 0. (H T – 15-0).