A spectacular try scored before the final whistle by Isipathana college captain Sumudu Rankothge brought a stunning win over unbeaten Royal college by 22 points (4 tries, 1 conversion) to 17 (2 tries, 2 conversions, 1 penalty) in a Singer ‘A’ division league rugby tournament first round game played at Royal Sports complex in Reid Avenue yesterday.
At ‘lemons’ Royal led 14-5.
With this superb win Isipathana retained the Major Milroy Fernando trophy offered for the annual Royal-Isipathana encounter for yet another year. A thriller was on the cards before the commencement of the match and also a ‘surprise’ was expected from the Royal outfit to pull off the game. But it was the opposite. Pathana fought like terriers in the second half giving no room for their opponents and they collapsed in the final session after relentless pressure from the Isipathana back division.
Royal, who led 14-5 in the first half could not show the same performance and caved in easily after Isipathana forwards under the coaching of ex Royalist Bilal Hassen used different ploys to penetrate Royal defence. The man who made the difference was Isipathana nippy scrum half Harith Bandara, who’s penetrative runs and booming up and unders along with his kicks to touch was a class act. He also controlled the phase of the game brilliantly.
Pathana broke the ‘ice’ in the fourth minute of the game and went in to a 5 nil lead when winger Vinoga Sabanayka touched down after a superb blind side three quarter move. Fly half Randy Silva failed to add the extra points.
Then in the 16th minute of play Royal grab the lead after hooker Hamza Reeza crashed in to score a try from a rolling maul. Flanker Nikhil George put over the conversion to made the score to 7-5. Royalist scored again in the 34th minute of the game when centre Thulaib Hassen sliced through to touch down for a try. George made the conversion again and Royal took a 14-5 lead and this score remain at the breather. In the beginning of the second half Isipathana cut down the lead to 14-12 when second row forward Sudeera Gayanath powered his way to touch down and full back Chamod Fernando made a superb corner flag conversion with ease.
With pressure mounting on Royal, Pathana added more peril on the Reid avenue boys, when their winger Nadeesha Chaminda made a dummy and covered good ground effortlessly and breezed pass the try line to touch down for a try in the 50th minute. Chamod missed the difficult conversion to take the lead 17-14.
In the 66th minute of play Royal replacement winger Zakir Naufer put over a 30 metre penalty to equal score to 17 all. During the closing stages of the game in the 76th minute Isipathana sealed the game when their captain cum centre Sumudu Rankothge collected a lose ball off a wayvard pass by a Royal three quarter and scampered through nearly 25 meters to score a brilliant match winning try under the post.
Chamod’s missed the conversion when the ball struck the right up right and the score read 22-17 in Isipathanas favour. It was a resounding win for the Isipathana college outfit who won the match against all odds by 22 points to 17 in the end.
Referee - Rohan Fernando