Royal ends rugby season on a grand note

RUGBY: Royal College Colombo, ended the 2009 President’s Schools rugby League tournament as unbeaten champs, when they turned the screws, on the back of a hat-trick of tries from blindside flanker Hasthika Bandaranayake, to drub St. Joseph’s College 49-7, in their lop-sided encounter ended at Royal Sports Complex yesterday.

The hosts led by dynamic stand off Naren Dhason, collected their points from seven converted tries, to which the visitors could only reply with a converted try, in a badly one-sided contest, as the former outscored the latter by seven tries to one, before wrapping up the 2009 rugby season, with a clean slate. The Royalists, who enjoyed lemons at 21-0, were dominant from start to finish, and their forwards and backs simply proved too strong for the Joes, in a game which clearly underscored their prowess, this rugby season.

For the winners, apart from the stand out performance of flanker Bandaranayake, outside centre Duminda Atygalle, wing Chamara Dabare, inside centre Mushin Faleel and replacement lock Chilanka Samaraweera all crossed over, while Faleel was immaculate with his boots converting all the tries.

Faleel, whose goal-kicking form was derided by his media critics, for most of the season, answered them in the best possible fashion, contributing no fewer than 19 points, through a try and seven conversions, as Royal rounded off a dream League tournament, to clinch only their second such title, in this decade.

They last emerged League winners in 2003 under former Sri Lanka centre Rajith Jayasundera.

For St. Joseph’s College, who defeated Trinity College, in their season- opening clash in early May, to become giant-killers, before subsequently being brought down-to-earth, centre Priyan Perera, grabbed their solitary try, which was converted by wing Mayura Sanjeewa. (JK)