Second half rally helps Antonians win 39-13

by S.M. Jiffrey ABDEEN - Kandy Sports Cor.

RUGBY: St. Anthony's College Kandy in a second half blitz trounced Dharmaraja College by 39 points (2 goals, 5 tries) to 13 (2 tries 1 penalty) in their schools under 19 Division One Segment A Rugby Tournament match played at Nittawela yesterday. At half Dharmaraja led 13-12.

The Antonians after trailing behind at the Lemons, exerted so much power on the Rajans that their opponents simply wilted like ice on a hot day. In the second half the Antonians scored 27 points without conceding a single point.

Antonians opened scoring in the 16th minute when they won a scrum inside, their opponents territory and flanker Roshan Roche scored mid left and full back Tharindu Chanaka added the extra points.

In the 30th minute, a penalty awarded to the Rajans saw them taking the short tap and prop Buwaneka Udangamuwa went over for an unconverted try.

In the 38th minute, the Rajans took over the lead when winger Lochana Ekanayake followed a kick ahead and scored far left.

But in the 38th minute, the Antonians hit back when centre Samith Dananjaya breezed his way to score by left corner flag for the Antonians to regain the lead 12-10.

Almost on the stroke of half time the Rajans took over the lead again when fly half Rochana Hettiarachchi put over a 35 metre penalty.

But the game switched in favour of the Antonians after the turn around.

In the 5th minute of this half winger Iranga Ariyapala put the Antonians ahead with a try near the post and Tharindu Chanaka added the extra points. St. Anthony's 19-13.

From here there was no stopping of the Antonians as they piled on the points against a weak defence put up by the Rajans.

The best try of the match came in the 15th minute of the second half when the Rajans were pressing to score and they were almost at Antonians goal-line.

A short pass by a Rajan forward was intercepted by Antonian Winger Dilum Jayaweera who sprinted almost 90 metres chased by a host of Rajans to touch down by the left corner flag for a brilliant try.

The last 20 minutes of play was a virtual disaster for the Rajans as the Antonians pounded their defence with some power play which ended in tries scored by winger Dilum Jayaweera, flanker Roshan Roche and scrum half Dinesh Liyanage and all went unconverted. Gamini Indrasena Refereed. St. Anthony won the junior game 12-5.