19 March 2018 12:04 am
By M. Shamil Amit
Wesley College in their first outing of the 2018 Under 19 inter-schools rugby season confronting St. Peter’s started off impressively with back to back tries which surprised many a spectator.
However as the game progressed the Peterites took control and in the end the Bambalapitiya schoolboys turned out to be too good for the Wesleyites when they finished with a convincing 33 points to 17 win in the match played at the Havelock Park yesterday.
The Peterites unruffled by the early Wesley burst took a slender two point lead at the breather (19-17) and they ended by accumulating their points through four goals and a try to a goal and two tries scored by Wesley.
Wesleyites went into the attack from the kick off and within three minutes scored an unconverted try through winger Mahanandas Paranitharan and then shocked the Peterites two minutes later when fly half Hemal Walpitage went over for a try which he himself converted.
The Peterites made the first scoring in the ninth minute when centre Rukshan Madusanka scored for full back Shehan Liynapathirana to add the extra points.
From thereon the two sides shared possession but it was the Peterites who succeeded in the 21st minute with second-row Nizran Nillar’s touching down for an unconverted try to make it 12 each.
The Peterites pushed forward and took the lead for the first time with flanker Javed Zaook’s try and with Liyapathirana’s conversion being successful the Peterites surged ahead 19-12.
Four minutes from the short whistle the Wesleyites gave their opponents some torrid moments and with seconds ticking away hooker Tharindu Samarakoon crept through the Peterite defence to score by the right corner flag and with that the short whistle was blown with the score reading 19-17 in favour of St. Peter’s.
It was in the 19th minute after the turnaround that St. Peter’s succeeded in touching down following a five metre line out which saw second row forward Nillar going over for his second try of the match which was converted.
The Wesleyites underwent a setback as most of their senior players were plagued with injuries which also saw the game being interrupted on many occasions. This was a contributory factor of Wesley being unable to make any scoring in the second half.
In the meantime a converted try by full-back Dilshan Perera saw the Peterites seal their win.
Referee – Aaqil Jamaldeen
Royal in smashing win over St. Anthony’s
Royal College powered their way to a smashing 55-13 victory over St. Anthony’s College in their Inter-Schools Under-19 ‘A’ Division League Rugby Tournament fixture worked off at the Nittawela Stadium in Kandy yesterday.
The defending champions put up another sterling performance for the second successive week as they demolished their opponents while collecting their points from six goals, two tries and one penalty after leading 15-13 at half time.
The Antonians of course showed early promise but completely lost their way during the second half as they managed to score only a goal and two penalties.
Royal made a spectacular start to the game once again as they build up a 15-0 lead mid way in the first half following two early tries.
The Antonians enjoyed their best part of the game when they managed to cut the deficit to just two points following an inspired performance from their Skipper Kavinda Amarakoon.
The dynamic prop forward scored their only try of the match shortly before half time and full back Tirusha Ekanayake fired across two penalties to keep their hopes alive.
However, Royal cut loose in the second half with a clinical performance as they ruthlessly destroyed their opponents while touching down on six occasions.
Skipper Sabith Feroz and centre three quarter Janidu Dilshan were the most outstanding players for Royal with two tries each.
In addition, prop forward Induwara Ranatunga, centre Thulaib Hasan and flanker Chamod Kaushalya also scored a try each with full back Dulan Gunawardena converting six tries.