Bamba Brigade record fourth successive win
View(s):By M. Shamil Amit
St. Peter’s College, fondly known as the Bamba Brigade, continued their winning streak as they recorded their fourth successive win of the ongoing Dialog Schools Rugby League with a comfortable 25-10 win over traditional rivals St. Joseph’s College in the match played at Bambalapitiya yesterday. In the process they also retained the Rev. Fr. Basil Wiratunga Shield for yet another year, with the encounter serving as an annual traditional pilgrimage between the two institutions.
St. Peter’s having taken an 18-3 lead at the breather, made up their points through four tries, a conversion, and a penalty to a converted try and penalty scored by St. Joseph’s. Conditions were not suitable for play due to rain as the two teams found ball handling challenging.
A tense moment of the Joe-Pete annual encounter - Pic by M.A. Pushpakumara
However it was the Peterites who drew first blood in the very first minute with winger Vishenka Silva going over for an unconverted try. The Peterites continued their attack and had the Josephians on the defence and they succeeded to surge ahead nine minutes later with skipper and No.8 Dulaj Navodya going over for another unconverted try. It took another 15 minutes for the next scoring to be done which was by the Josephians through Ivano White, the centre, booting over a penalty.
The Peterites though being in possession of the ball, and also in the attack for most part, they lacked was the finish. However they increased the lead in the 32nd minute with centre Yumeth Shikara making no mistake with a penalty that was offered. They further went ahead with the lead just before the short whistle with a third unconverted try scored by prop Shenuka Perera.
The second half was a low profile affair, but the Josphians surprised the host side in the eighth minute with second row Promodh Perera barging his way for a try while Ivano White added the extra points.
With the two sides sharing honours, it was the Peterites who did the scoring as winger Vishenka Silva intercepted a pass and sprinting over 30 metres, evading the opponents to go over for an under the post try in the 61st minute. Yumeth Shihara made an easy conversion as the hosts expanded the lead to 25-10. With most of the remaining duration ending up with no further scoring done, it stood as the final score with the Peterites coasting to their fourth successive win.