Royal prevail in scrappy game
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Royal's Kaveen Sasanga dashes to score his team's first try against S. Thomas'
A standout performance by scrumhalf and deputy skipper Kaveen Sasanga gave Royal College their third victory of the Dialog Schools Rugby League 2022, as they overcame traditional rivals S. Thomas’ College by 20-8 at the Royal College Sports Complex yesterday.
With the win, Royal retained the Michael Gunaratne Trophy for yet another year, as they completed the win with three tries, a conversion and a penalty. The hosts kept possession of the lead from start to end, yet had to concede an unconverted try and a penalty to their opponents, who were on par strong.
Sasanga struck twice, Royal’s first try in the opening minutes of the game, and his team’s last try, which came during the latter part, both in stylish and electric fashion. Out of the three tries, their second, which came in the 12th minute of the game, was off their trademark rolling maul. Sasanga made a interceptive breakthrough during the early stage of the game, when the Thomians were on a rampage n Royal’s own backyard. Sasanga stole the ball, covered a healthy distance of over half of the length of the pitch, to brace a try in the far right corner, that went unconverted. Royal’s second try, which came as a result of a lineout that was stolen from their opponent and marching forward in form of a rolling maul, and lock Abdullah Yusuf bracinng it, strengthened their lead to 10-0, as Idris Farook failed to put over both tries.
However, Royal never had their march easy, with the Thomians stacking constantly and more clinically than their opponents. Eventually their efforts were paid off with a penalty that came in the 19th minute from flyhalf Yehan Bulathsinhalage’s boots. The deficit was cut down to seven points, yet Royal led 10-3 right up to the halftime. The Thomians had an golden opportunity perhaps equal the scores before halftime, but Royal were solid in their defence, as they kept their opponents at bay for nearly seven minutes with just only yards away from touchdown.
The Thomians repeated the offense soon after the resumption, but the Royalists were solid as ever in defending their territory. Yet, their third attempt went past through a lapse in Royal’s defence as winger Akira Perera neatly completed a threequarter move, to post a try in the far right. Bulathsinhalage failed to convert the try, but he was given a second opportunity by referee Alexander, after the Royalists charged the kick with roaring noises. Yet he failed to put it over, as the Thomians trailed by 8-10.
Four minutes on, Royal fullback Nabeel Yahiya had the opportunity of putting over a penalty and expanding his team’s lead to 13-8, just two minute before Sasanga repeated another stunner to put matters beyond doubt.
Sasanga almost ran half of the length after stealing the ball to land under the post, which gave Yahiya an easy kick to put over. The game ended 20-8 in favour of Royal, yet both teams had two each players sitting out in the sin-bin and Royal’s Buvaneka Senanayake, was shown a second yellow card, in the latter stage, leaving his team with just 14 players for the rest of the game.