Last minute try gives TN Police close win

Mumbai, Sep 23 (UNI) A try in the last minute of play by Prem Kumar and the subsequent conversion by Muniyandi helped Tamil Nadu Police defeat Bangalore Rugby Football Club 15-14 in an exciting contest of the 74th Vodafone Essar All-India&South Asia Rugby Tournament played at the Bombay Gymkhana here today.

In other games, Army 'A' thrashed Kolkata Police 71-0, while hosts Bombay Gymkhana outplayed La Martiniere Old Boys, Kolkata 32-5.

Tamil Nadu Police, coached by Emil Vartazarian, the captain of defending champions Chennai Cheetahs, were playing second fiddle to the Bangalore team throughout the match, but kept up the fight and seemed to be gaining momentum as the game drew to an end.

Trailing 8-14, with just about a minute to go, C Prem Kumar went over the line for a try after a good combination between the TN Police players. Muniyandi then stepped up to punt the pigskin between the posts and give TN Police a one-point victory, triggering wild celebrations among their bench.

Last year's runner-up team Army 'A' packed too many guns for Kolkata Police, running roughshod over them for a 71-0 thrashing.

Three tries each by Hemant and Charanjeet Singh and eight conversions by Sujai Lama were the highlights of their win.

Hosts Bombay Gymkhana too has a reason to cheer after they outplayed LMOB, Kolkata 32-5, but the form of their kicker Rohan Sethna must be a cause for worry, as he could convert only one from six tries that the Bombay Gym players scored.

Tamil Nadu Police now face a sterner test ahead as they take on champions Chennai Cheetahs in the quarter-finals.

Following are the results: Army 'A' (Red) 71 (V Hemant 3 Tries, Charanjeet Singh 3 Tries, Dhananjay Kumar 1 Try, Ramesh Kumar 1 Try, Bikas Kumar Jena 1 Try, Rohit Singh 1 Try, Dalwinder Singh 1 Try, Sujai Lama 8 Conversion) bt Kolkatta Police 0.

Tamil Nadu Police 15 (C Prem Kumar 1 Try, Suresh Kumar 1 Try, Muniyandi 1 Penalty, 1 Conversion) bt Bangalore R F C 14 (Roshan Kumar 1 Try, Sumit Kumar 1 Try, Robatay 1 Conversion, Kenith 1 Conversion).

Bombay Gymkhana 32 (Nasser Hussain, Ikram Butt, Hrishikesh Pendse, Mufaddal Indorewala, Rehan Netrwala al 1 Try each, Rohan Sethna 1 Conversion) bt LMOB, Kolkata 5 (Billa Bahadur Gurung).

UNI