Kingswood College claimed their first win of the season with a tough 24-17 victory over St. Joseph’s College at Havelock Park to kick off the Dialog Schools’ Rugby league 2020.
Hosts St. Joseph’s, coming in as under-dogs entered the fray with a depleted side following the exit of many experienced players, however, the likes of Rashen Gunawardena slotted in at fullback while Gershome Thangaia and Cheka Jayawardena strengthened the forwards.
The visitors came in with experience under their belt. Lead by Asiri Senevirathne as Shazan Rahuman and Dilshan Weligampola featuring in the backline with Rajitha Hettiarachchi and Apoorva Wijesinghe their force in the forwards.
The first ten minutes of the game was plagued with injury as the home team lost key players Sudaraka Peiris and Teran Karunanayake to a concussion, derailing the already inexperienced Josephians further.
The depleted Josephian’s inexperience showed as the visitors took just two minutes following the loss of their backline player to strike through Apurwa Wijesinghe.
The power-packed hooker bounced off would-be tacklers, barding his way to the white-wash to give Kingswood the lead. Ishara Cooray added the extras, rounding it off as a perfect-7. (SJC 00-07 KCK)
The Josephians reply was instant as cracks surfaced in the visiting forward pack. The Blue and Whites pounced on the opportunity to make the visitors pay, reducing errors on the scoresheet.
Naveen Marasinghe was at the heart of a rolling maul, as the giant lock came to earth inside the in-goal, dotting down to register the hosts first score. Mohommad Riffan failed to add the extras. (SJC 05-07 KCK)
The visitors lost Ishara Cooray and Rajitha Hettiarachchi to a high-shot and infringements at the maul as the visitors were reduced to 13-men at one point of the game.
The home side captain made sure to take the advantage count as Rashen Gunawardena ran around the visitors to score.
St. Joseph’s caught out the short-numbered visitors working them side-to-side before Gunawardena changed direction, going over to hand the Josephians the lead for the first time in the game. Gunawardena assumed kicking duties, however, the result was the same as the kick went astray. (SJC 10-07 KCK)
With time running out in the first half, Kingswood launched one final attack and were duly rewarded with an inexperienced Josephian outfit failing to hold out their opponent.
Kingswood snuck one through Chethiya Bandara on the stroke of half time and as the extras off Ishara Cooray’s boot were added, the visitors went into the shed in front at lemons.
Half Time: St. Joseph’s College 10 (2T) trail Kingswood College 14 (2T 2C)
It was all Kingswood in the second half as the visitors dominated proceedings with and without the pill in hand as the Josephians were searching for ways in which to nullify their opponent.
Winger Iranga Sandaruwan went over twice as the Kingswood three-quarter put on a show at the Park as St. Joseph’s were in all sorts of trouble.
First, the winger added the finishing touch to a wonderfully worked back-line move, stepping past the final defender to dot down.
The unsettled Josephians lost valuable possession through handling and unforced errors as the game began to slip out of their reach.
Ruchira Ekanayake made a try-saving tackle 4-meters out as the Josephians aimed to fight back, however, Sandaruwan’s second of the evening put the game to bed for the visitors — securing the bonus point –. Both second halves tried went unconverted as Kingswood were in firm control of proceedings. (SJC 10-24 KCK)
With time running out, the Josephian’s managed a consolation try through Ruchith Perera as the Josephian forwards went to work once again, however, it was too little too late as the game was brought to an end following Gunawarden’s successful conversion.
Full Time: St. Joseph’s College 17 (3T 1C) lost to Kingswood College 24 (4T 2C)
- Dialog Viu Player of the Match: Shazan Rahuman (KCK)
Score Breakdown
St. Joseph’s: Naveen Marasinghe 1T, Rashen Gunawardena 1T 1C, Ruchith Perera 1T
Kingswood: Apurwa Wijesinghe 1T, Chethiya Bandara 1T, Iranga Sandaruwan 2T, Ishara Cooray 2C
Cautions: Ishara Cooray Yellow Card (KCK), Rajitha Hettiarachchi Yellow Card (KCK)
