St Joseph’s begin campaign on winning note
St. Joseph’s College began their Singer U20 School Rugby league tournament campaign on a winning note when they defeated Wesley by 20 points to 10 in the match played at Longdon Place yesterday. The Josephians took a comfortable 17-0 lead at the breather made up their points through a goal, two tries and a penalty as against to a goal and penalty by the Wesleyites.
The match was expected to end in a close contest but it was not to be as the Josephians who were unsettled in the first few minutes of the game got their act together at the latter stages of the first session to have things their own way.
It was the Josephians who made the first scoring in the 13th minute through a try by prop forward Stephan Gregory who barged his way through the Wesley defense with full back Shamilka Kurumbalapitya adding the extra points.
The Wesleyites did everything but lacked the power to penetrate their opponents stonewall defense while the Josephians in contrast made use of the opportunities they got to increase their lead.
Even though Shamilka fluffed a simple penalty that was offered in the 19th minute they made amends two minutes later when winger Shasheen Sudaraka helped them increase the lead with a right corner flag unconverted try.
Full back Shamilka who fluffed a penalty and a conversion made amends by going over for the Josephians third try in this session, as he grabbed the ball in a melee taking advantage of a Wesley player fumbling with the ball to sprint and post a try.
With the conversion going astray the Josephians increased the lead to 17-0 before the short whistle was blown.
The resumption saw the Wesleyites coming into the game with a 17-point deficit decreasing the lead in the fifth minute as hooker Thisara Maduwantha’s try which came off a five-metre scrum giving skipper and centre Joel Tilekeratne an easy kick at goal.
Wesley though putting in all their effort and resources available failed to get past the Josephian defence as they succeeded in only booting over a penalty which was by skipper Tilekeratne.
In this session the Josephians was able to add only another three points through a penalty booted over by fly half Dulith Fernando. But the 17 points lead in the first half was sufficient for them to come out an winners to start off the season in an encouraging way.
Referee – A.C. Tennekoon.