A smashing performance from the boys from Science College who beat Royal College to make history and compete in the President Trophy finals for the first time on coming Sunday. Full time score SC 52 (T8 C6) – RC 26 (T4 C3)
A smashing performance from the boys from Science College who beat Royal College to make history and compete in the President Trophy finals for the first time on coming Sunday. Full time score SC 52 (T8 C6) – RC 26 (T4 C3)
The unbeaten league champions Royal College started with only seven senior players with Sabith Feroze on the bench. Although they had the full strength in the three quarters, it was only Keshan Peiris leading the young pack which showed great courage in their famous driving maul though not as much in the break down.
Science on the other hand were in the best of the form after beating St Peters back to back in the league and knockout tournaments. LasinduIshan the captain leading from the front with a lovely individual run scored the first try. The leading point’s scorer in the league for Science 15 year old Tharindu Maduranga added the extras. In the 10th minute a Science scrum just outside the opposite 22m saw Lasindu at the back of it flinging the ball to scrum half Hashan Madumadawa who dashed on the blind side to score the second try. (SC 12 – 00 RC)
Royal came in to the opposite half and very clearly wanted to put the kickable penalty in to touch to try the new look forwards with their driving maul. Interestingly Science could not hold the Royals as a result flanker Madushanka was sin-binned for collapsing maul followed by the tight head prop W. Perera which allowed Royal’s Mohamed Fajurdeen to do Supun Warnakulasuriya’s task. (SC 12 – 05 RC)
From then Science found their gas, speed agility and crispiness with their line work. Experienced Keshan and Ashok Kumar could not do much as Science played so well in the breakdowns. With 13 men on the field, they still played better rugby than the Royal’s 15 and from a turnover in the breakdown P.B. Madusankha went through the Royal’s defense. Soon after the third try, Sachin Dilshan the full back fended-off the opposite defense and scored his first try. (SC 26 – 05 RC)
Royals tackles were not accurate first up and they were flat in the attacking line too. Science with some quick balls in the rucks created back to back rucks, found space out wide and as a result 16 year old Tharindu Maduranga scored the fifth try. Just before the half time big prop forward M.J. Silva picked and dived in to the try line.
Half Time : Science 38 (T6 C4) – Royal 05 (T1)
Science went in to half time with a commanding lead, but Royal got a clear message at the break which is to kick in to opposite territory and attack from there. Gayal Jayasinghe found a little space in the blind side from a collapsed maul and he scored the second try to lift the Royal’s momentum. No sooner Science conceded another penalty and as a result the kick was sent into touch. Yet again the driving maul was collapsed but this time referee Priyantha Gunarathne went under the post to offer a penalty try to Royal. (SC 38 – 19 RC)
After conceding two tries Lasindu Ishan’s boys injected some pace and skills to hit back with the restart. Thanuja Maduranga scored the second try to increase the scoreboard. Banuka Gamage and his backs had a jaded game throughout the 80 minutes. However, Banuka with the first threatening run off loaded to Mahima Gamage who sprinted 40m to score the try but it was in vain as the referee brought back the play from where Banuka started running deeming it off-side. (SC 45 – 19 RC)
Ten minutes before the final whistle Colin Denish and coach Amila made six changes for Science. Royal who had thus far been completely baffled somehow they found the x factor and in a solid scrum which moved forward, the #08 fell over the try line. Science with the restart had still a lot energy with them and Dilshan spotted a free space as he booted the ball, collected well and went under the post to finish off the victory in style.
With this performance Science heads in to the knock out final for the first time in history. Although Isipathana looks the favourite, , Science will be hungry and angry for their first title in the schools’ rugby arena and a giant killing is quite a possibility. Both Science and Isipathana play a similar style of rugby and if the weather stays dry for some furious, running rugby, it will surely be a glamorous finale on the 12th at the Royal Complex.
Full Time : Science 52 (T8 C6) – Royal 26 (T4 C3)
ThePapare Player of the match – Hashan Madhumadawa – Science scrum half
