Kingswood College, Kandy staged a superb late fightback to snatch a thrilling 27 points (three goals, two penalties) to 18 (one goal, one try, two penalties) victory over Zahira College, Colombo in their Dialog Schools Division I League Rugby Tournament third week match played at Maradana yesterday after trailing 10-11 at ‘lemons’. The Zahirians made a strong start with their wing three-quarter scoring the first try in the second minute to take a 5-0 lead. Kingswood responded with a penalty by Rivin Bawdeen in the 10th minute, making it 5-3.
Zahira’s reliable prop forward Thuan Raheem then added two penalties in the 15th and 24th minutes, pushing Zahira ahead 11-3. Playing one man down, Kingswood hit back through a powerful try by number eight Maduranga Pushpakumara in the 33rd minute. Ashik Asmi converted, cutting the deficit to 11-10 by half-time.
In a tense second half, Zahira Captain Luqman Nadeem was sin-binned in the 47th minute and with injuries piling up, Zahira was reduced to 13 players by the 57th minute. Kingswood took the lead for the first time when full back Rivin Bawdeen slotted over a penalty to make it 13-11.
Zahira fought back as their fly-half Hakeem Chunchi scored a fine try in the corner and converted it himself, giving the home side a 20-13 lead in the 62nd minute.
But Kingswood wasn’t finished. Second-row forward Menusha Marasinghe crashed over for a vital try in the 69th minute, with Ashik Asmi’s conversion levelling the scores at 20-20.
In the dying moments, Kingswood’s winger Ashik Asmi scored another try and converted it himself, sealing a famous 27-18 victory for the Randles Hill schoolboys.
Referee: Sumedha Arunashantha.
