Dialog Schools Rugby: Zahira’s second-half burst too much for Wesley

Action from the match between Zahira College and Wesley College (Pix by Kushan Pathiraja)

By M. Shamil Amit

Zahira’s second-half burst was too much for Wesley as they coasted to a comfortable 38-24 win in the Cup Segment match of the Dialog Schools Rugby League played at Havelock Park yesterday.

Zahira came back with a vengeance in the second-half as they chalked up 21 points to Wesley’s 10. Zahira, having taken a slender three-point lead (17-14) at the breather, made up their points through four goals and two tries to Wesley’s two goals and two tries.

The first session of the proceedings turned out to be a closely contested affair with the two sides sharing honours. Zahira was the first to get the scoreboard moving, which they achieved in the fourth minute from an unconverted try scored by prop Muzil Samath.

Zahira, buoyed by the early success, kept up the momentum while giving the Wesleyites some anxious moments, and they were rewarded for their effort in the eighth minute with a try by flanker Shaifullah Zulficar, who also added the extra points for Zahira to lead 12-0.

Wesley fought back and got their act together as they succeeded in planting back-to-back tries within the space of five minutes; first in the 22nd minute by second row Liam Onasiz and in the 27th minute by skipper and fly-half Kaizer Lye, who booted over one conversion as Wesley went into the lead 14-12.

But Zahira, undeterred, came back to put the Wesley defense under pressure and in the 32nd minute they took back the lead from an unconverted try scored by Samath, which was his second try of the match, leaving the score 17-14 at the short whistle.

The resumption saw the Zahirians getting their act together and they succeeded in breaching the Wesley defense in the fourth minute with skipper and center Hakeem Chunchi going over for a try, and Zulficar making no mistake with the conversion.

The Zahirians continued their onslaught and four minutes later stretched their lead from a try scored by second row Shaheel Shiyam, with Zulficar adding the extra points.

Nine minutes later Wesley replied with an unconverted try. Zahira, playing with full confidence, almost sealed the game in the 31st minute with prop Habeeb Uzmi going over for a try, and with Zulficar adding the extra points, it saw them lead 38-19.

Wesley fought back and succeeded with an unconverted try scored by No. 8 Pawan Tharangana, but it came too late as Zahira walked away with a comfortable 38-24 victory.

Zahira’s win against Wesley comes after a long period of 28 years, with their last victory being in 1998 when the side was led by Riyas Hanis.

Referee: Gihan Yatawara