St. Peter’s College defeated Isipathana College 14-7 in their Inter-Schools Under-19 League Rugby Tournament Cup Championship match played at Bambalapitiya yesterday.
The Peterites collected their points from two goals after having led 7-0 at half time while Isipathana managed to score only a solitary goal in this 51st encounter between the two schools.
The Peterites drew first blood in the 11th minute with a beautifully executed try under the posts as their forwards combined effectively with the three quarters to outsmart the opposition.
However, they were unable to penetrate the Isipathana defence despite their dominance and went into half time with a 7-0 advantage.
Isipathana started the second half on a positive note as they launched a series of sweeping three quarter moves in search of their first try of the match.
But they just could not keep up the momentum and add the finishing touches due to some handling errors and mistakes at vital stages of the game.
The Peterites responded a few minutes later with a superb counterattack that started with a clever interception as they set up the stage for their second try of the match.
The forwards were able to retain possession following a series of phases and after another short tap the Peterites crashed through the Isipathana defence, falling near the right post. However, few minutes later St. Peter’s suffered a major setback as they were handed a yellow card and Isipathana exploited the situation to touch down for the first time in the 58th minute.
The home side went through some anxious moments during the latter stages but they held their nerve and went on to record their 23rd victory in the series.
Isipathana, of course, still lead the series with 25 wins while two matches have ended in a draw.
By – Sunday Observer