Dharmaraja College, Kandy continued with the shocks they are reputed this season when they scored a fine 24 points (3 goals, 1 penalty) to 17 (1 goal, 2 tries) win over St. Peter’s College, Colombo in their schools under 19 Division one rugby tournament match played at the Bogambara stadium, Kandy yesterday. At half time Rajans led 17-12.
Though the Rajans won, they were given a torrid time by the Peterites especially in fading light and last 20 minutes when they kept play deep inside Rajans territory and did everything but score. They harassed their opponents an minutes kept ticking and when the final blast was sounded it would have been like soothing balm for the winners.
Territorialy the Rajans held the advantage but in the second half the Peterites fought back and could consider themselves distinctively unlucky to lose as they exerted so much of pressure after the term around. The Peterites dominated the line outs but the set scrums and the loose play appeared to he evenly shared.
It was the Rajans who kept the scoreboard moving when a 40 metre penalty awarded to them was early put over by their ever reliable full book Tilina Wijesinghe. Rajans 3-0. It look 15 minutes for the peterites to move into the Rajans territory and when they, it ended up in scoring.
A three quarter movement mid held saw speedy centre Shalen Direekzee a sprinted along the line to score mid right. Canute Jerome failed to add the extra points. Peteriter led 5-3.
Five minutes later the Rajans once again took over the lead when their three quarters moved. The ball and full back Tillina Wijesinghe when challenged ‘Chipped’ the ball and collected and scored under the post and added the extra points himself Rajans 10-5. Rajans scored again in the 34 minute when skipper Rochana Hethiarachchi set his three quarters in motion and centre Tharindu Kulawansa went over by the posts. Tillina Wijesinghe added the extra points Rajans led 17-5.
In the 38 minute full back Kevin Dixon joined the three quarters off a second phase move to score mid right and Canute Jeremy added the extra points to reduce the lead to 12-17.
After the tern around the bitter straggle continued with the peterites tormenting the Rajans defence in a big way and the latter were compelled to defend grimly.
In the 15 minute of the second half sow the Rajans to be into peterites terriotiny and centre Buvaneka Udangawa with a breezy run scored under the posts. Tilina Wijesinghe added the extra points, Rajans 24-12.
But the peterites came back into the game storming and it was all theirs from now onwards till no side was blown.
They forced several scrumes but could not give the finishing touches to them.
In the 30th minute the Peterites forwards charged and Timothy Alles ended up scoring near the posts and Jerome Canute failed to add the extra points.
