With the skies amiable, and a sunlit Havelocks sports club set out, a blockbuster clash between DS Senanayake college and Lumbini College proved the perfect bit of Rugby to start the weekend. An unrelenting Lumbini went all out at a Donz outfit battling for pride with hefty blow after hefty blow, giving a good scare to the home team. But nevertheless DS Senanayke College held their nerve to come out on top marginally in this clash on week 05 of the Dialog Schools Rugby League 2026.
Ever since DS Senanayake kicked off proceedings, they maintained a considerable grasp on the game especially in the first half. They were constantly on the attack, with the Lumbini defense tested for all money. With pressure mounting on the Lumbini defense, their ability to persist was always at breaking point.
With 5 minutes on the clock and Lumbini’s try line already tested DS Senanayake college managed to push one over the line as a pack following a strong maul for Praveen Lakmal to bag the first Amana Bank try of the match. Even though the fullback Budditha Rusiru, didn’t managed to convert to start thinks off perfectly for DS Senanayake College, it was a strong start for the hosts. ( DS 05 – LC 00)
It was Lumbini’s turn this time to challenge the hosts’ defense, and with an almost ironic second 10 minutes of the game, Sachintha Induwara managed a superb backdoor pass to the captain who ran in and through the hosts’ defense to touch down for a sensational first Amana bank try for them. And it was Sachintha Induwara with the conversion to get the lead for the visitors and make it a 2 point game very early on in the mix. ( DS 05 – LC 07).
With the captain Thatheera Perera’s kicks finally coming into the forelight on a number of strong kicks, it was his array of kicks that assisted the hosts into winning ball possession for a majority of their time. With 23 minutes into the game, after the hosts constantly challenged that backline in tiring a Lumbini defense, Praveen Lakmal managed to push the ball through a jaded, back defense to touch down for his second try of the match. Budditha rusiru was clinical this time around as he kicked it perfectly between the two posts to turn the game back in favour of the hosts. (DS 12 – LC 07)
With both the teams playing proper offensive rugby from there on out, on the nick of time for the half time whistle, a driving maul was set out on the vicinity of the try line, it was Thatheera Perera and Kushan Priyalal who carried out a sensational passage of play to bring them into that strong state of play. Viruja Jayathilaka was the man for the hosts this time in touching down for a third time and bringing a strong lead for the them with a conversion to follow from the fullback. (DS 19 – 07 LC)
Halftime – DS Senanayake College 19 (3T, 2C) – 07 Lumbini College (1T, 1C)
After the restart it looked as if there was a shift in momentum in favour of the visitors, as they were on the offense from the get-go and challenging the hosts major time. Budditha Rusiru brought in a nice passage of play for the hosts to follow but that moment of glory was cut short by the visitors with constant bits of effort at the opposing try line, a chip-in kick to Sashan Prabuddha saw fight in the horizon of a possible comeback for Lumbini College, with Sachintha Induwara with the conversion, making it a mere 5 point game for them. (DS 19 – 14 LC)
It didn’t take long for the visitors to stun the hosts once again as mere minutes later after that try, was ball possession personified for the visiting team as they ran through a taken-aback DS defense, managing to catch them prodding on the backfoot, with the brilliant Sachintha Induwara running through the corner for another Amana Bank try for Lumbini College. Scores were levelled as the try scorer himself got kicking duties but failed to make impact that time around, but things were looking to seem bright for the underdogs.( DS 19 – 19 LC)
But DS had all to play for at the Havelocks park as they weren’t going to let things get out of hand. They managed to take the ball deep into the opposition half through sessions of quality rugby, including the powerful and accurate kicks off the captain. Thimath Bogahawatte touched down amidst a flurry of Lumbini defenders coming into the fore, which was instrumental in calming down a worried home team dugout.(DS 24 – 19 LC)
With the clock reading 10 minutes to go, Lumbini had to go all out and bring their A-game at Havelocks park in terms of hunting down a 5 minute game. They played through some outstanding passages testing the full might of the DS defense. Every ounce of passion and energy was being carried on the visitors shoulders as they hearted it out in search of a famous win. At the dying minutes of the game, they almost had ‘glory’ written all over their jerseys but Sachintha Induwara failed to keep hold of the ball when touching down for that try after doing all the hard yards. That was a heart-in-mouth moment for the hosts, because had it touched down, the visitors would have sealed off a comeback for the ages.
The referee blew the whistle after allowing play on the completed 70 minutes where a yellow card was drawn out too on the no. 04 jersey, Sulakshana in offense to a DS player. But that was it as the hosts fought their way to a hard fought victory over the relentless Lumbini college as they had no further say on the scoreline of the match. DS Senanayake College managed to edge past Lumbini College at Havelocks sports club in a gruelling encounter in the week 5 of the Dialog Schools’ Rugby League 2026.
Fulltime – DS Senanayake College 24 (4T, 2C) – 19 (3T, 2C) Lumbini College
- Swisstek Perfect Player of the Match – Praveen Lakmal ( DS Senanayake College)
Points breakdown
Lumbini College – 19
R.K.Yohan (1T), Sashan Prabuddha (1T), Sachintha Induwara( 1T, 2C)
DS Senanayake College – 24
Praveen Lakmal (2T), Viruja Jayathilaka( 1T), Thimath Bogahawatte (1T), Buddhitha Rusiru (2C)
Match Referee – Jeewaka Fonseka
