Second half rally helps Royal to beat Wesley

by Leslie Fernando

RUGBY: A superb second half rally by Royal College helped them to beat Wesley College by 35 points (one goal, five tries, one penalty) to 12 (one goal, one try) after trailing 7-12 at the breather in their schools under 20 'A' Division Segment One match played at the Royal Sports Complex yesterday.

Royal opened scoring in the fifth minute when scrum half Rasmead Rafeek scampered through for a try off a five metre scrum. Omar Hussain added the extra points.

In the 21st minute the Weslyites reduced the deficit when winger Zaleel Jayah burst through to touch down off a three quarter move - Chanaka Peters missed the conversion on the stroke of half line the Weslyites snatched the lead when Aswan Anaaf scored and Chanaka Poters converted and the lads from Campbell Park led 12-7 at 'lemons'.

The Royalists came back storming in the second half to score five more tries through Udara de Silva, Hasthika Bandaranayake, skipper Manil Abeyratne (one each) and Vinod Malwatte (two) with Omar Hassen missing all the conversions. However, he put over a 25 metre penalty ten minutes before the final whistle.A. K. Rankothge refereed.