Eight tries and a statement. Isipathana run riot against Dharmaraja

When the Green Machine gets into full flow, there is very little any team can do to stop them. Dharmaraja College found that out the hard way at Havelock Park yesterday, as Isipathana College put on a ruthless eight-try display to win 46-8 and record their third successive victory in the Dialog Schools Rugby League 2024.

From start to finish, it was a performance that sent a clear message to every other team in the league. This Isipathana side means business.

Early scare, then total control

Credit to the Rajans, they actually drew first blood. Sadeesha Weerawansa slotted a penalty in the fourth minute to hand the visitors a surprise 3-0 lead. For a brief moment, the travelling supporters had something to cheer about.

It lasted exactly four minutes. Prop Kaveen Tharusha powered his way through the Dharmaraja defence to score the opening try, and Abdullah Faizer added the conversion to put Isipathana in front at 7-3. From that point on, there was only one team in it.

The Greens were clinical. Neat offloads and sharp ball-handling carved open the Dharmaraja defence again in the 12th minute, with centre Dinudu Wickramaarachchi touching down. Faizer converted once more and the lead stretched to 14-3.

Tries flowing as the bonus point comes early

Winger Aditya Madushan finished off a beautifully constructed team try in the 24th minute to push the score to 19-3, wrapping up the all-important bonus point with plenty of time to spare. With Nimantha Sandeepa taking over the kicking duties, Isipathana kept the foot on the throat and added another converted try to surge ahead 26-3.

Madushan was not done. Just before the halftime whistle, the winger crossed for his second try of the afternoon. The conversion went wide, but it hardly mattered. Isipathana headed into the sheds with a commanding 31-3 lead and the game well beyond doubt.

Second half starts scrappy before Isipathana pull away

Dharmaraja came out after the break with renewed energy, and to their credit, they disrupted Isipathana’s rhythm in the early exchanges of the second half. The Greens were scrappy and forced into errors by a transformed Rajans side that refused to roll over.

But class told. Winger Avishka Hiran broke free from a tight Dharmaraja defensive line and ran the length of the field to score in the 41st minute, stretching the lead to 36-3. Two minutes later, Tharusha barrelled over for his second try of the match to make it 41-3. The conversions from Sandeepa went astray on both occasions, but with a 38-point cushion, it was academic.

Rajans find a consolation as yellow cards bite

Isipathana’s discipline wobbled when forwards Sanuja Jayaweera and Nisaja Jayaweera were both shown yellow cards, leaving the Greens down to 13 men. Dharmaraja seized the opportunity, and lock Ravindu Wickramage finished off a determined forward drive to score the Rajans’ only try of the match. Weerawansa missed the conversion, but the visitors had earned a moment of pride at 41-8.

Late try seals an emphatic afternoon

With the scoreboard ticking towards 50 points, the Dharmaraja defence dug deep in the closing stages to deny the Green Machine that milestone. Just when it looked like the hosts would be frustrated, replacement winger Samiru Disas produced a brilliant individual effort to crash over for Isipathana’s eighth and final try. Shaahid Zumri, who had been the architect behind so many of the try-scoring moves throughout the afternoon, took the conversion attempt but could not add the extras. No matter. The job was done emphatically at 46-8.

The bigger picture

Three games, three wins, and a points difference that is starting to look very healthy. This Isipathana side has depth across the park, with tries coming from props, centres, wingers, and replacements alike. Tharusha and Madushan both bagged doubles, Zumri pulled the strings without needing to get on the scoresheet himself, and the pack laid a platform that the Rajans simply could not live with.

Dharmaraja will be disappointed with the final margin, but they can take heart from the patches where they competed. For the ICOIC family though, this was a day to sit back and enjoy watching the Green Machine at full throttle. Three down, plenty more to go.

Full time: Isipathana College 46 (8T 3C) beat Dharmaraja College 8 (1T 1P)

Isipathana College scorers: Kaveen Tharusha 10 points (2 tries), Aditya Madushan 10 points (2 tries), Avishka Hiran 5 points (1 try), Dinudu Wickramaarachchi 5 points (1 try), Samiru Disas 5 points (1 try), Abdullah Faizer 4 points (2 conversions), Nimantha Sandeepa 2 points (1 conversion). One additional try scorer unconfirmed from original report.

Dharmaraja College scorers: Ravindu Wickramage 5 points (1 try), Sadeesha Weerawansa 3 points (1 penalty)