St. Joseph’s College posted the highest score in the current Schools Rugby season when they crushed the debutants, CWW Kannangara College by 74-06 points at Sugathadasa Stadium in a one-sided game on Sunday evening.
The Josephian team fresh from their cracking win over St. Peter’s College last week had to put up another staggering performance to strengthen their maiden title claims and their full back Shamilka Kurumbalapitiya kicked off the game. Kannangara were struck with a major blow when their star player Lasith Lakshan got injured as early as the 5th minute but they opened the scoring in the 6th minute when Shehan Deepal slotted a 25-meter penalty kick.
(Joes 00 –Kannangara 03)
The visitors were bit rusty early on but their play maker, Shamilka sneaked through the Kannangara defense like a knife through butter in the 11th minute to score the first try of the match and he converted his own try. (Joes 07 – Kannangara 03)
Joes were penalized for not releasing the tackled player in the 15th minute and Shehan Deepal kicked his 2nd penalty kick to reduce the deficit to a single point. (Joes 07 – Kannangara 06)
St. Joseph’s skipper Taariq Salih made a superb run but fell just meters away from the touchline but flanker Viraj Perera finished off the great move to extend the lead in the 17th minute. Shamilka missed the conversion. (Joes 12 – Kannangara 06)
The Josephian vice-captain and tireless flanker, Shehan Bopearachchi scored two exciting tries in both sides of play as St. Joseph’s grabbed the crucial bonus point with only 30 minutes of play. One try was successfully converted by Shamilka as the Josephians took full control of the match. (Joes 24 – Kannangara 06)
Romesh Priyankara switched to center from winger’s position for this game and he had too much gas on him in the 37th minute when he sped past few lazy Kannangara defenders to score his first try of the match. Shamilka made no mistake with the conversion. (Joes 31 – Kannangara 06)
St. Joseph’s had a clear game plan of using their big forwards to draw defenders and then feed the ball to their backs and they were once again successful with that ploy in the final move of the first half when winger Vinul Fernando scored an easy try through a broken play. Shamilka converted as referee blew the half-time whistle.
Half-time: St. Joseph’s 38 (6T,4C) – CWW Kannangara 06 (2P)
After the lemons break, Kannangara skipper Madawa Sathsara restarted the game as heavy clouds gathered above the grounds and slowly started to drizzle. After 5 minutes of rugby in the 2nd half, Josephian skipper Taariq Salih scored yet another try to recommence the try-fest as he touched down under the posts. Shamilka converted. (Joes 45 – Kannangara 05)
Joes reached the half-century in the 50th minute of the match as Romesh Priyankara showcased his speed and stepping skills to score his 2nd try. Shamilka missed the conversion. (Joes 50 – Kannangara 06)
The Josephian winger Vinul Fernando was the only player in the whole match to receive a yellow-card when he made a high tackle on a Kannangara player in the 56th minute.
Josephian fly-half Raveen Antonio made a terrific line break but he was taken down inches away from the big white line but scrum-half Vimukthi Rahula made sure Raveen’s effort does not go in vain as he scored another try as the injury-count of the hosts went up to 5 players.
Shamilka had no problems with the conversion. (Joes 57 – Kannangara 06)
Joes inserted their young bench to the field of play giving them much needed game time and in the 70th minute, Shamilka’s grubber kick went against the hosts and second-row forward, Ravien De Silva dived under the posts to score the 10th try of the match. Center Sameesh Vihanga converted with ease. (Joes 64 – Kannangara 06)
Vimukthi Rahula shifted back to center position in the final minutes and he dazzled past few tired defenders with only 5 minutes left of the match. Sameesh failed to add the extra points. (Joes 69 – Kannangara 06)
Shehan Bopearachchi deservedly completed his hat-trick in the final play of the match when he barged over the try line to finish off a rousing victory for the Blue & White Hornets. Shamilka Kurumbalapitiya’s kick did not bisect the posts as referee blew the final whistle.
Full-time: St. Joseph’s 74 (12T, 7C) – CWW Kannangara 06 (2P)
Referee – Gamini Indrasena
ThePapare Player of the Match – Shehan Bopearachchi
