CR & FC Win 2026 Clifford Cup Championship

"The victory marked another historic achievement for Kandy Sports Club"

Clifford Cup action ended with a thrilling final as Kandy Sports Club defeated CR & FC 41–33 to win the 2026 title at Nittawela Rugby Stadium.

Both teams started the match with high intensity and attacking rugby. Kandy Sports Club took a narrow 17–14 lead at halftime after a fast and entertaining first half.

Each side scored five tries, showing how competitive the final was. Diluksha Dange, Kenula Hettiarachchi, Dilshad Fareed, Heshan Jansen, and Nigel Ratwatte scored tries for Kandy. CR & FC fought strongly and created several attacking chances, but they could not catch up.

Nigel Ratwatte delivered an excellent performance and earned the Man of the Match award. The win was also special because it marked his final appearance for Kandy Sports Club.

With this victory, Kandy Sports Club secured their 22nd Clifford Cup title and continued their strong success in Sri Lankan rugby.