Wesley too strong for hapless Vidyartha
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Vidyartha were totally blown away by Wesley - Pic by M.A. Pushpakumara
Wesley College steamrolled past a hapless Vidyartha College by 38-7 in their Dialog Schools Rugby League Championship 2022 game played at the CR&FC ground in Longdon Place yesterday.
After causing devastation against the visitors in the first half, where Wesley single-handedly scored four converted tries and led 28-0 by halftime, the home team made at least eight changes, allowing their bench strength to taste the action in their opening game of the season.
In total, Wesley scored from six tries and four conversions, while against a lesser stronger unit after the turnaround, Vidyartha managed to score from a solitary converted try.
Wesley were forceful from first whistle, as they wasted very little time to touch down through scrumhalf M.R. Avinash in the fourth minute of the game. Flyhalf Shaveen Jayawardene added the extra points. After constant attacking, Wesley touched down for the second time in the 12th minute, when winger Maleesha Thiranagama crossed the line to give Jayawardene the opportunity to make his second successful conversion.
As the game approached its 25th minute prop Hafeez Thabeeth barged in to score Wesley’s third try as Jayawardene was successful in his third kicking attempt. Just in the brink of the halftime Hafeez scored his second try, Wesley’s fourth to take an assailing lead after Jayawardene’s conversion made it 28-0.
With their bench strength taking over the second half, Vidyartha pulled their guns out to attack, yet Wesley were hard to run over. But it took the home side a while to score, unlike in the first half, with flanker Sheal Samuel touching down. Vidyartha turned out to be a bit stronger that they were as centre Arosh Ratnayake took the honour in scoring their only try of the game, while fullback Menuka Thilakaratne added the extra points. Wesley’s and the game’s last try came through replacement winger N.S. Rodrigo. The game was controlled by referee H.P. Weranga.