Defending league rugby champions St. Peter’s College were not only tested by strong challenger Isipathana College but also by adverse muddy and rainy conditions as they retained the Dialog inter school rugby title at Havelock Park yesterday with a 6-3 win.
The Peterites could have easily blown up the result in the dying minutes of the game when winger Praneeth Silva unleashed a yellow card late tackle on an Isipathana player resulting in a penalty that brought the home inches away from scoring only to be held back by a determined Peterite defence.
But the Peterites proved they were worthy undisputed champs as they played the entire second half without their crack centre Umith Shihara who left the field with an injury.
It fell on the shoulders of Peterite place kicker Raul Denish to put over two difficult penalties to score the winning points as a slippery ball and muddy underfoot conditions did not permit fast open rugby that the Peterites were capable of that could have put Isipathana under more pressure in the title decider.
Rain throughout the game prevented the exciting moments that a packed venue paid to witness but the Peterites proved they can be excellent in defence too which they did under the circumstances against some attacking forwards play by Isipathana.
Denish kept the Peterites in business with two penalty kicks for a 6-0 in the seond half that was reduced to 6-3 with Isipathana’s Shahid Zumri knocking over a penalty.
The starting line-up of the St. Peter’s College team comprised Ranithu Ridmal, Januka Ranasinghe, Jehan Weerabangsa, Revon Perera, Januth Ratnayake, Sandin Kularatne, Aiden Fernando, Dulaj Navodya, Salith Gallage, Raul Denish, Vishenka Silva, Emith Jayaweera, Umith Shihara, Praneeth Silva and Pasindu Bandara
By – Sunday Observer