Christian De Lille's (M) team has successful made it to the Cup Championship next season with the win against Dharmaraja
A substantially big-made Thomian outfit held their nerve to beat visitors Dharmaraja College 17-07 in a tight tussle of the Singer Schools league played in adverse weather conditions at S. Thomas’ College grounds Mount Lavinia.
The game kicked off amidst a heavy downpour, beside the sea as Plate segment table-toppers S. Thomas’ College took on a Dharmaraja side slightly on a decline.
The hosts made their intentions clear from the onset, scoring just three minutes into the game. Captain Christian De Lile was at hand to cross the white-wash, as he dived over off the tail of a maul for the first score of the evening. Tevin Eriyegama failed to add the extras, in an evening unfavorable for kickers. (STC 05-00 DCK)
The resolutions of the hosts were crystal clear as the backline was idling on a wet day in at the office. The visitors were starved off possession as the home team kept hold of the pill, frustrating their opposition.
Revanka Abeywardena was the next to barge his way over the try line to add to the visitor’s dismay. The sizable hooker’s try was a snapshot of his captains first of the game, and in similar fashion Eriyegama failed with the shot at goal. (STC 10-00 DCK)
S. Thomas’ College vs Dharmaraja College | ThePapare Stats Centre
ThePapare Match Centre
The frustration of the visitors sky-rocketed as they were continuously starved-off getting their hands on the ball and that showed at the end of the half as the Rajans went into the sheds at for the leamons, down-a-man.
Half-time: S. Thomas’ College 10 (2T) Dharmaraja College 00
The visitors failed to move the ball off the breadcrumbs of possession they had, and that was undoubtedly the call of the Dharmaraja head coach at the half time. His call was answered as visitors ran spreading the ball wide, putting the home team in a spot of bother at the beginning of the second stanza.
The little teak worked wonders for the visitors as the hosts were caught out on the edge, with Rajans half-back Wijesiri diving over the try line. Fullback, namesake Wijesiri converted from under the sticks to make it a three point affair.
Praveen Sagarasekara returned, however, the Thomians re-assumed control of the ball and commenced proceedings from where they left off in the first half.
The numeric advantage was reclaimed by the home team as the frustrations of the visitors grew further.
De Lile doubled his try tally on the evening as Rakindu Karunathilake was the next to vacate the field for cynically ‘handling’ in the ruck. The Flanker with the captains arm-band, lead from the front, even though he broke off the rear of a trademark rumbling maul.
Points Table | Schools Rugby League 2018 Division I ‘A’ & ‘B’
Points Table of the Schools Rugby League 2018. Division IA and Division IIA. Royal Isipathana, Trinity, Wesley
Eriyagama was third time lucky as a 10-point cushion was added between the two sides with the game seeming a touch out of the reach of their opponents. (STC 17-07 DCK)
Bawantha Udangamuwa’s evening went from bad to worse as the skipper saw yellow for a blatantly high shot as the game ended in a similar trend.
Full-time: S. Thomas’ College 17 (3T 1C) beat Dharmaraja College Kandy 7 (1T 1C)
- ThePapare.com Player of the Match: Adeesha Handunpathirana (STC Prop)
Point Breakdown
S. Thomas’ College – Christian De Lile 2T, Revanka Abeywardena 1T, Tevin Eriyegame 1C
Dharmaraja College – Supun Wijesiri 1T, Manula Wijesiri 1C
Match Referee – H. P. Weranga
