Kolkata win Callaghan Cup Div-II Rugby tourney
Bhubaneswar : Kolkata Police emerged champion by defeating Jammu and Kashmir by 48-5 points in the cup final match of the five-day-long 7th All India Senior National Division-II Callaghan Cup-2013 Rugby Tournament, which concluded at East Coast Railway Stadium here on Sunday, being organised by Odisha Rugby Football Association (ORFA). local favorite Bhubaneswar bagged the plate champion trophy by eliminating CRPF by 23-12 points. Gyana ranjan Prusty of the winning team scored double try. His-mates Ranjan Kumar Sahu and Chinmay scored a try each. The third place claimed by Tamil Nadu after a win against KISS by 31-15 points. The champion Kolkata Police and runners-up Jammu and Kashmir got qualified for the Callaghan Cup Div-I Rugby tournament. Banki MlA Prabhat Tripathy distributed the prizes as the chief guest of the closing ceremony. Among others, Naba Ranjan Patnaik, ORFA president Priyadarshi Mishra, secretary Upendra Kumar Mohanty, adviser Ashok Mohanty, M Azam and Women’s Rugby Odisha secretary Shakti Ranjan Mohanty were present.
UP Wizards beat Kalinga lancers in HIl
Bhubaneswar : Uttar Pradesh Wizards gave their home fans reasons to cheer as they coasted to comfortable 3-1 win over debutants Kalinga lancers in a league match to jump to the third position at the second edition of Hero Hockey India league (HHIl) in Major Dhyan Chand Hockey Stadium in lucknow on Sunday. UP Wizards scored two goals in the first two quarters while their third goal came just seconds from the final hooter. Skipper V R Raghunath gave UP Wizards the lead in the 17th minute by converting a penalty corner before young striker Nikkin Thimmaiah doubled the home team\\'s lead in the 41st minute with a field strike. Kalinga lancers, however, pulled a goal back in the 59th minute through their star drag-flicker Gonzalo Peillat who found the back of UP Wizards net from a penalty corner to raise his team's hopes. UP Wizards struck in the final minute of the game when legendary Dutchman Teun de Nooijer scored a field goal to seal the match in his side's favour. The win gave UP Wizards five points which enabled them to jump to the third position in the standings with 21 points from seven games. The lancers will next play Jaypee Punjab Warriors at Mohali on Tuesday while the UP Wizards will travel to Bhubaneswar to take on Kalinga lancers in the return leg match on February 13. Speaking on the performance by the team Uttar Pradesh Wizards Head Coach Roelant Oltmans, said “it’s a happy moment for us today as we have finally won our first match on home ground. Today we started with an advantage and scored 2 quick goals which heloed boost the morale of the team and which helped us win the match”. Speaking on the performance by the team Head Coach Terry Walsh, Kalinga lancers said “not happy with the result. While the team played very well in the first half of the game but they could not keep the momentum in the second half. There were opportunities but we let them go. We need to understand that winning is important for which the score board must keep ticking. Semi Finals seems a difficult scenario if we continue in this manner”. Kalinga lancers Captain Kiel Brown post the match said “we were aiming to win the match and we are saddened by the result. As a team we have been playing good hockey if I compare it to when we started the league. I would like to say that Hockey India league is a great initiative to identify young talent and I am proud to be a part of this league”.