Isipathana scrape through to final in a thriller
Isipathana College had to pull out all the tricks out of their bag against St. Peter’s College in the first semi final of the Milo Under-20 President’s Trophy Schools Rugby Knock-out Tournament before scraping through, 24-20 at the Royal Sports Complex ground yesterday.
Isipathana trailing by one point at the breather 12-13, came back in the second half and accumulated their points through four tries and two conversions. The Peterites scored from two converted tries and two penalties.
The Pathanians did not have it easy as in the League encounter, where they romped home with ease (36-21) as the Peterites gave them some anxious moments in the first half with their fighting brand of rugby which their opponents never expected.
On the other hand credit cannot be taken away from the Peterites, who probably dished out their best performance this season. They put their heart and sole out but unfortunately lady luck was against them.
The Peterites were in full form as they rattled and surprised the Pathanians by taking a 13-0 lead with the game 22 minutes old, after Isipathana’s full back Gayan Wickramaratne fluffed a penalty in the fifth minute.
The Peterites put up their first scoring in the 12th minute with fly half intercepting an Isipathana pass and sprinted over 35 metres for an unconverted try.
This followed with Peterite skipper and full back Sandesh Jayawickrama booting over two penalties in succession with the first in the 22nd minute and other seven minutes later which was from a difficult angle.
The Pathanians found it tough to breach the Peterite defense due to the stiff resistance put by the defenders. Isipathana succeeded to make their first scoring in the 29th minute which initiated through a kick to touch to the left corner and forcing a ten metre line out before No.8 Wageesha Weerasinghe went over for a try in a rolling maul but the conversion was astray.
Three minutes later Isipathana’s playmaker and second row Sumudu Rankothge, who has been one of the main contributors in the sides’ success this season, helped them decrease the Peterites lead. He sizzled through the Peterite defence in a five-metre scrummage to score under the post and with Gayan Wickramaratne made no mistake with the conversion. The deficit was brought down to a point, 13-12.From there on the two sides shared the honours before the short whistle was blown on the same score.
The resumption saw the two sides fighting it out with vigour and with no quarters asked or given before the Peterites succeeded to surge ahead in the seventh minute through scrumhalf Avishka Heenpella, who went over for an under-the-post try, having run nearly 35 metres. Jayawickrama added the extra points for the Peterites as they expanded the lead to 20-12.
The Pathanians, noted for their never-say-die type of approach got their act together and it was paid off in the 16th minute when skipper and centre Kushan Indunil scored a try, which came off a five-metre scrum. Wickramaratne’s conversion saw them reduce the lead again to one point, 20-19.
With eight minutes of play left the stage was set for the game to end in a thriller and also it pointed to be anybody’s game. With both sides not giving in to each other the winner was going to be the side that succeeds to make the scoring.
And the Pathanians in a do-or-die effort for the first time, managed and succeeded to take over the lead with a try which came off through another rolling maul, again off a five-metre scrum by flanker Devin Gunaratne.
Even though the conversion was kicked astray, the Pathanians managed to hold on to the lead to come out victorious and advance to the final where they will now meet the winner of the second semi-final between arch rivals Royal and S. Thomas’ which is scheduled to be played at the same venue today.
Referee – Dinka Peiris