Royal in stunning 17-12 win over Peterites

By Leslie Fernando

RUGBY: Royal College recorded a stunning win over the more fancied St. Peter’s College by 17 points to 12 in their Singer inter-school under-20 Division one group ‘A’ league rugby tournament match played at the Royal College Sports Complex at Reid Avenue yesterday after leading 10-5 at ‘lemons’.

Royal collected their points through a goal and two tries while the Peterites scored a goal and a try.

The game which was really important for the Royalists to be a major force in the ‘A’ Division league would have been won with a much bigger margin. But at the outset the place kicker Duminda Attygalle missed two easy penalties and also failed with two conversions much to the dismay of their supporters.

Royal surged into the lead in the 9th minute when flanker Ashik Bari scored a handy try. Duminda Attygalle failed miserably with the conversion. Royal increased the lead to 10-nil when ‘prop’ Shamir Fajudeen scored off a maul. Duminda Attygalle was once again unsuccessful with the conversion.

During the closing stages of the fire half Royal lost flanker Ranga Perera for foul play and was sent to the ‘Sin Bin’. On the stroke of half time the Peterites scored their first try through hooker Lahiru Kumara to reduce the lead to 10-5 with fly half Harsha Weerakoddy failing with the conversion.

After the turn around both sides attacked relentlessly.

Royal scored once again through a superb try by their centre Shamed Ahmed who sliced through the Peterite defence to score under the posts. Substitute Shailendra Chandrasekera made the conversion 17-5.

In the dying stages of the game the Peterites came back strongly to score a superb try through wing three quarter Gerard Canute which was successfully converted by fly half Harsha Weerakoddy.

The final score stood at 17-12 and Royal climbed to the third position in the Singer Under-20 Schools ‘A’ division segment one points table.

Referee: Dilroy Fernando