Thomians stun Antonians by 32-25 at the Park

Schools Rugby League 2022 – Div 1, Group A

By Jason Perera

S.Thomas’ College, Mount Lavinia dished out a superb display of Rugby to beat St.Anthony’s College Kandy by 32 points (4 tries, 3 conversions, 2 penalties) To 25 points (3 tries, 2 conversions, 2 penalties) in their Inter-Schools Rugby League 2022 match played at Havelock Park yesterday. At half time S. Thomas’ College led 18 points to 10.

This match also witnessed the re-introduction of Rev.Fr. Angelo Rosati Trophy. These two schools played for the ‘Rosati Trophy’ from 2004 to 2011 of which both schools won 04 games each. S. Thomas’ College and St. Anthony’s College have been playing against each other since 1960 and St. Anthony’s College Kandy took to Rugby during the tenure of Rev.Fr. Angelo Rosati O.S.B as their Principal (in 1956).

The match got off to a fantastic start with both teams engaged in a ferocious battle for position. Thomians played a faster game in the loose. The surprising factor was their entire three quarter line was very much faster than the Antho three quarters.

Thomians opened the scoring when their winger Jaden Koch touched down for an unconverted try to go into a 5-0 lead.

Then Anthony’s stormed into the lead with a superb try scored by Somitha Dissanayake and fly half Sahan Keerthisiri put over the conversion. Soon they went into a 10-5 lead through a penalty slotted in by Keerthisiri.

Meanwhile, Antonian forwards were penalized for an infringement by the referee and Yehan Bulathsinghalage put over a 30 metre penalty to cut down the score to St.Anthony’s 10 to S.Thomas’ 8.

Soon before the half time Thomians grabbed the lead to 15 -10 with a quick converted try scored by Viviyan De Silva and a penalty put over by Bulathsinghalage.

At half time S.Thomas’ led 18-10.

After the resumption, Antonians cut down the lead to 18-13 when Keerthisiri put over a 30 metre penalty.

In the 51st minute of play, Shanal Fernando touched down for a superb try, which Bulathsinghalage slotted the conversion and S.Thomas’ went into a 25-13 lead.

They scored again through their versatile sportsman cum scrum half Mahith Perera who put the game to bed when he collected the ball and sprinted through St.Anthony’s defence to score an exceptional try which Bulathsinghalage made the conversion and the score read 32-13  in favour of S.Thomas’ College.

The fighting Anthony’s scored two consolation back to back tries through skipper Jeyan Amarasinghe and Sahan Keerthisiri which Keerthisiri himself put over the conversion to cut the deficit to 07 points but it was too late as the Referee blew the final whistle.

In the end, victorious S.Thomas’ College beat their fighting counterparts, St. Anthony’s College by 32 points to 25 and won back the Re. Fr. Angelo Rosati trophy which was revived (the trophy encounter) after it was last offered in 2011. This was the first win for boys from Mount Lavinia in the ongoing Schools Rugby League.

Referee: Gihan Yatawara

Photo album: https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.4588537174582097&type=3

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