Week 3 of the Dialog Schools Rugby League 2025 delivered another thrilling chapter in this year’s fiercely competitive campaign. With six teams still unbeaten, the intensity on the field showed no signs of slowing down, as title hopefuls continued to flex their dominance while others battled to stay in contention. From last-minute tries to statement victories, the weekend’s action set the stage for what promises to be a pivotal weekend ahead, where the pressure will only intensify.
Royal, Trinity & Wesley stay unbeaten with rock-solid defense
These three sides have not only remained unbeaten but also boast the best point differential in the competition, combining attacking efficiency with elite defensive discipline, standing out as the only teams to have conceded fewer than 20 points across the first three weeks, which is a great indication of their early dominance.
- Photos – Mahanama College vs S. Thomas’ College | Dialog Schools Rugby League 2025 – Week 3
- Photos – St. Peter’s College vs Science College | Dialog Schools Rugby League 2025 – Week 3
In one of the most anticipated clashes of the week, Royal College delivered a commanding performance to defeat St. Joseph’s College in convincing fashion, with the final score being 33 – 14.
The buildup for this clash was massive due to the historic rivalry between both institutions as it promised a tight contest. Royal Tuskers however, quickly asserted control by scoring a try in just 20 seconds. The Josephians struggled to break through the Royal defense as Royal maintained composure and intensity throughout, eventually pulling away to seal a statement victory.
>>Photos – Royal College vs St. Joseph’s College | Dialog Schools Rugby League 2025 – Week 3<<
The win not only extends Royal’s unbeaten run but also cements their status as one of the tournament’s front-runners. The Tuskers will look to defend home turf and stay on top of their group as they face Vidyartha College, who are coming off a devastating loss.
Joes will look to get back in the win column but this won’t be an easy task as they will face the unbeaten Trinity Lions at Longdon Place.
Trinity College delivered a dominant attacking display to overpower Thurstan College 48–19 in a high-scoring encounter. From the first whistle, Trinity controlled the tempo, combining pace and precision to break through the Thurstan defense repeatedly. Their backline was in fine form, running in a series of well-crafted tries, while the forwards provided a solid platform throughout.
>>Gritty Thurstan fall short against high riding Trinity<<
Despite a few bright moments from Thurstan in the second half, Trinity’s clinical finishing and cohesive play ensured a comfortable victory, keeping their unbeaten streak firmly intact.
In Week 4, The Lions will stay in Colombo to face off against St Joseph’s College. Thurstan College will be desperate to get a win as they are one of the few winless sides in the competition. They will travel to Bogambara Stadium to face Sri Sumangala College, a side that will be brewing in confidence after a historic win against Vidyartha.
Wesley College continued their unbeaten run with a disciplined 24–3 victory over St. Anthony’s College. In a match defined by structure and control, Wesley’s defense once again stood tall, shutting down the Antonian attack and limiting them to just a single penalty.
On the other side of the ball, Wesley capitalized on their opportunities with composed phase play and well-timed finishes, gradually building a lead that never looked in doubt.
The win reinforces Wesley’s reputation as one of the most balanced and tactically sound sides in the competition.
Next week, St. Anthony’s will host the resilient Anandians at Nittawela.
The Double Blues will take on the defending champions St Peter’s College at Havelock Park. With both teams going into the encounter unbeaten, this game promises to be one of those “High Stakes Classics” as the victors will more than likely top their group.
Who will rise to the occasion? Who will keep their perfect streak alive? We just have to wait and see!
Relentless offense helps Isipathana, St. Peter’s & S. Thomas’ to stay undefeated
This trio of sides have remained unbeaten largely thanks to their explosive attacking play, consistently piling on points and overwhelming opponents with pace and creativity. While their offensive firepower has been unmatched at times, all three sides have shown moments of vulnerability in defense, conceding more points than their fellow unbeaten rivals. As a crucial week approaches, this is an area they’ll need to tighten up as the competition heats up.
At the Hill Capital Fortress Nittawela Stadium, Isipathana College managed to defeat Dharmaraja College 32 – 19. The Green Machine were guilty of starting slowly in the first two weeks. This time around was much different as Isipathana hit the ground running early on as they scored 4 tries in the first half, and 6 total tries for the game. Although the victory was convincing, the Green Machine still looked shaky in defense in the last quarter of the game as they conceded 2 tries to give the Rajans a glimmer of hope.
They will focus on trying to play a “complete” 70-minute game with minimal shifts in momentum next week, as they face Zahira College at Maradana, in a high stakes clash with major seeding implications.
The Rajans, still winless, will be looking to change this as they host the Thomians at Nittawela.
Defending champions St. Peter’s College were made to work hard but ultimately held off a determined Science College side to clinch a 29–23 victory and keep their unbeaten record intact. In a tightly contested match, the Peterites leaned on their attacking flair to build a lead, but Science refused to back down, applying pressure late in the game.
Despite some defensive lapses, St. Peter’s held their nerve in the final minutes, showing composure under pressure to secure the win and stay firmly in the title hunt.
The Bamba Brigade will look to top the group and silence the “ZamZam Zakey” cheers of the Double Blues next week at Havelock Park. To do so, they will have to tighten their screws in defense as they have conceded 53 points compared to Wesley’s 28.
Science College will look to build on this valiant effort as they face off against the Dons at Havelock Park.
- Thomas’ College showcased their attacking firepower once again with a high-scoring 50–35 win over newcomers Mahanama College. The Thomians ran in a flurry of tries, displaying pace, creativity, and clinical finishing across the park.
However, while their offense impressed, conceding 35 points against a debutant side will raise eyebrows as they head into a crucial Week 4.
Defensive lapses and missed tackles allowed Mahanama to stay in the contest longer than expected something S. Thomas’ will need to address if they are to maintain their unbeaten run against tougher opposition.
The boys from Mt. Lavinia will travel to Nittawela Stadium to face Dharmaraja College. With only a 2-point point differential separating the Thomians from the Green Machine as group tops, they will look to have a better game in defense while continuing their ruthless aggression in attack.
Mahanama College will look to get another win under their belt as they take on Kingswood College at Bogambara.
Dons survive a Thriller as Kingswood, Sri Sumangala open their Account
D.S. Senanayake College edged out a thrilling nail-biter against Ananda College, to grab a hard-fought 22 – 18 victory, showing grit and composure under pressure. In a controversy filled game where momentum switched back and forth multiple times, it was the experience of DS that led to them securing the win at Rajagiriya.
The Dons forwards proved to be the difference maker as they were too dominant in the red zone. The Maroons, who are turning out to be a fan favourite due to their resilient nature, have grown in confidence each game.
>>Donz Show Grit to Escape with Narrow Win Over Ananda<<
Although this was a painful loss for the newly-promoted boys from Maradana, they will have their sights set on a Plate Championship as they take on the winless Antonians at Nittawela.
The Dons will look to stay in the hunt for a chance at the Cup as they take on a resilient Science College outfit at Havelock Park.
Kingswood College managed to finally open their win account by defeating Zahira College at Maradana, with the final score being 27 – 18. Coming off some heartbreaking losses against the Thomians and Isipathana,
The Kingswoodians were desperate to keep their Trophy dreams alive, and they delivered a brilliant performance against the Tankers in an extremely competitive clash. This game had it all, big hits, hot steps and even a prop forward on goalkicking duty!
>>Kingswood College registers first win in a fiery clash against Zahira College<<
In a game where Zahira scored more tries than their opponents, it was their discipline that cost the Tankers the victory as it allowed the Kingswoodians to slot in some crucial penalties.
Both teams will be determined to keep their Plate Championship dreams alive as the upcoming week will see Kingswood hosting Mahanama College at Bogambara, while Zahira hosts the Green Machine at Maradana.
Sri Sumangala College made history at Pallekele as they managed to register their first ever division 1 victory, beating Vidyartha College 24 – 12 in a game that was truly a tale of two halves. The opening 35 minutes were a tense, low-scoring affair, with just 5 points separating the sides as both teams struggled to find rhythm.
>>Sumangala Stuns Vidyartha with a Dominant Second-Half Performance<<
However, Sri Sumangala came alive in the second half, unleashing a confident attacking display and capitalizing on key opportunities to pull away. The landmark win not only marks a major milestone for the Kandy school but also signals their growing presence in the top tier of schools rugby.
They will look to build on this momentous victory by pushing for a Plate Championship as they will be considered favourites in their upcoming game against Thurstan at Bogambara.
The Tigers will look to turn their disappointing season around and keep their hopes alive as they seek a much needed first win. Next week, they will travel to Jurassic Park to face off against the mighty Royal Tuskers.
As Week 3 draws to a close, the Dialog Schools Rugby League 2025 has already delivered a captivating mix of drama, dominance, and history-making moments.
With six teams still unbeaten, the battle lines are clearly drawn, but as the stakes rise, so will the pressure. Whether it’s the defensive steel of Royal, Trinity, and Wesley or the attacking brilliance of S. Thomas’, Isipathana, and St. Peter’s, the race for Cup glory is wide open.
Meanwhile, first-time winners and resurgent sides are proving there are no easy games in this year’s competition.
Week 4 promises to be a defining one, where title contenders will be tested, and every point will matter more than ever. Buckle up folks, we are in for an absolute treat!
