The final match of the Schools’ Rugby League took place in front of a packed Bogambara stadium earlier this evening. In this crucial match to decide the Plate champions, Dharmaraja College, Kandy took on St. Joseph’s College Colombo; the Josephians emerging deserved victors beating Dharmaraja by 27 points to 10.
St. Joseph’s accumulated their points through 2 Tries, 1 Conversion and 5 Penalties, while Dharmaraja’s points came through 1 Try, 1 Conversion and 1 Drop Goal. At the half time breather, the score read 19-03 in favour of St. Joseph’s.
Both teams came into the game having had close encounters last weekend. St. Joseph’s edged out a charging Kingswoodian outfit at Bogambara while Dharmaraja nearly came back to claim a stunning win against D.S Senanayake College at Havelock Park, having trailed 22-0 in the 50th minute.
St. Joseph’s 27 (2T 1C 5P)
Tries: Devon, Chathura Senevirathna.
Conversions: Chathura Seneviratna.
Penalties: Chathura Senevirathna
Dharmaraja 10 (1T 1C 1P)
Tries: P.H.Epa
Conversions: Gihan Ishara
Drop Goal: Chamika Perera
Early on in the game St. Joseph’s gave away a scrum due to a forward pass and the Rajans’ forwards set up number 10 Chamika Perera, who put through a drop goal with ease. (3-0)
From this point a series of penalties were given to St. Joseph’s in quick succession and they reaped the rewards, with Fly half Chathura Senevirathna making no mistake in slotting the ball through the posts. The first kick he put through was from 25m out, straight under the posts; the penalty being awarded for not rolling away. (3-3) Within a minute the Josephians got another penalty as the Rajans were penalized for not releasing the tackler; this was another easy kick just under the posts. (6-3) Two more penalties followed and Seneviratne put them through with ease. (12-03)
Dharmaraja was playing well at this point but were unable to get points on the board despite their efforts. With a key player in Romesh Anandaraja injured, St. Joseph’s had the upper hand in the scrums.
Despite all the Rajans’ effort, a penalty advantage saw the big number 8 from St. Joseph’s score under the posts from a pick and go, with his mates helping him get over the line. (17-3) Senevirathna made no mistake with the conversion. (19-3)
The Dharmaraja hooker was sent to the sin bin for coming in from the side at the brink of half time. There were some harsh calls by the referee during the first half with some decisions being reversed as well, which the players from both sides weren’t too happy about. At half time the score was 19-03 in favour of St. Joseph’s.
Half time: Dharmaraja 03 (1DG) to St. Joseph’s 19 (1T 1C 4P)
The second half started with Dharmaraja still a man down and this advantage was exploited by Chathura Senevirathna when he went through the defense of Dharmaraja to score in the left corner with ease, having to beat the single defender. (24-3) He failed to add the extras. He put through another penalty, awarded for an off-side infringement, from right under the posts soon after. (27-03)
Dharmaraja, who had been playing well throughout the first half, finally got themselves to the try line with H. Epa sprinting 30m down the field to score, making it 08-27. Gihan Ishara converted the 40m kick at an angle, from the left corner. (10-27)
The match came to an ugly end after 65mins of play when a fight broke out between the players of the two sides following a yellow card to one of the Dharmaraja players. The brawl that broke out on the field soon spilled over to the crowd as well. The incident left 3 players of each team in the hospital.
Full time: Dharmaraja 10 (1T 1C 1DG) to St. Joseph’s 27 (2T 1C 5P)
ThePapare.com’s Player of the Match: Chathura Senevirathna.
St. Joseph’s storm to Plate championship; match ends in braw
