Sabith Feroze’s unstoppable band annihilate Thomian grit
Sabith Feroze’s Royalists retained the Michael Gunaratne Trophy - Pix by Amila Gamage
There was a calm before the storm as Royal were a bit off colour in the first half and were kept down to a 10-0 lead at the break. What followed a short while after the restart, was a veritable deluge as the rampaging Royalists went on a scoring spree to post 45 points and did not permit the Thomians to open their account.
Thus Sabith Feroze’s Royalists annexed the Michael Gunaratne Trophy for another year. More importantly Dushant Lewke’s team set an all time high for this series beating the 52-0 score achieved few years back by Banuka Gamage’s outfit.
Royal’s 55 points came off 6 goals, 2 tries and a penalty. A couple of dropped passes early on was a bit uncharacteristic. It maybe due to the fact that Royal’s playmaker supreme – Janindu Dilshan – did not take the field.
Royal used their customary maul to set up their first try which was scored by Ifham Fareed. The Thomians who had decided to play with the forwards in the absence of a penetrative back division approached the line in an agonizing manner – inch by inch. But at the moment of truth, they could not pierce the defence.
What the boys in blue and black failed to do was then achieved by the blue and golds. Flanker Radesh Wijeratne was able to scuttle through the defence and touchdown. Surprisingly, fullback Dulan Gunewardena failed with both conversions and it was 10-0 at lemons.
Noticeably Sabith Feroze, the skipper was lying in wait for the ball. When it did come, he certainly put it to good use with some powerful, penetrative runs.
All of a sudden, the winners upped the ante and ran at the defence from many angles and at good speed. Hooker Ifham went over in the corner and Gunewardena (who may have changed his boots!) put it over 17-0.
Yasas Rashmika, the winger, who had come on, made a superb break. He ran diagonally across, whizzed past the defence and scored. 24-0.
Royal were now on a roll and the Thomians were looking around desperately for succour. Then Kalindu Nalindila finished off a sweeping move and Gunewardena converted to make it 31-0. The skipper Sabith Feroze. who had done a lot of work, feeding the ball to the others, now decided to go over himself. Gunewardena added the finishing touches.
This was followed by prop Himantha Hirushan who barged his way over the line in a show of power. Royal’s final try came off another good break by Feroze. Having sped off, he off loaded to fellow centre Thulaib Hassan to go over. Dulan Gunewardena put this over, and for good measure knocked over a penalty to make the final tally 55-0. This is Royal’s second score of 55 points in as many matches and they seem to be in the form of their lives.
Referee Rohan Fernando.