The second semifinal of the Inter-University Rugby XV’s Championship took place between the University of Kelaniya and the University of Colombo at the picturesque Nittawela Rugby Fortress recently. Though the high-riding Kelaniya side earned a 24–05 lead at halftime, the lads from Colombo came back strong with a clinical second-half performance to secure their place in the final.
In the opening minutes, the Colombo lads enjoyed more possession and managed to break into the 22-meter line of Kelaniya territory. There, Colombo earned a scrum, and after a few passages of play, the ball was worked to the left, where the lock forward dived over for the first try—evading a couple of tackles like a typical winger. (UoK 00–05 UoC)
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Kelaniya then entered Colombo territory thanks to an offside penalty. Their forwards made good yardage with a well-executed rolling maul, followed by a pick-and-go phase. With an offside advantage in hand, the ball was moved to the Kelaniya three-quarters. As there was no further advantage, the referee called back play for the original offside penalty. Wisely, N.S. Perera of Kelaniya took a quick tap before the defenders could regroup and easily went over the try line. (UoK 07–05 UoC)
Later, the University of Kelaniya returned to Colombo’s red zone with some magnificent sprints by the three-quarters. Near the try line, the Kelaniya forwards put in maximum effort, powering through the Colombo defense with pick-and-go phases and set pieces. Their persistence paid off when lock forward Bandara crossed the whitewash for Kelaniya’s second try. (UoK 10–05 UoC)
A few minutes later, referee Gihan Yatawara issued a yellow card to the University of Colombo winger for a dangerous tackle. The momentum had already shifted in favor of Kelaniya, and with the numerical advantage, they looked even more dangerous. They earned a 5-meter scrum and, after excellent teamwork, flanker Wijesuriya planted their third try by breaking through the Colombo defensive line. This time, fullback B.Y. Perera made no mistake with the conversion. (UoK 17–05 UoC)
In the dying minutes of the first half, the Kelaniya lads once again invaded opposition territory. After applying massive pressure, they earned a 5-meter lineout. Using the blind side cleverly, their hooker Agahas crossed over for the bonus point try, and B.Y. Perera once again added the extras. (UoK 24–05 UoC)
At halftime, the Kelaniya brigade, marshaled by former Maliyadeva front rower Gajitha Amarasinghe, seemed to be cruising toward a dominant victory.
Half-Time: University of Kelaniya 24 (4T, 2C) – 05 (1T) University of Colombo
In the second half, the University of Colombo returned as a rejuvenated side, likely having revised their game plan during the break. They advanced near the try line as Kelaniya were penalized twice—first for collapsing the scrum and then for not supporting body weight at the ruck. The Colombo captain opted for a scrum, trusting the strength of his forwards. Colombo pushed Kelaniya back toward the whitewash, and when the scrum collapsed again, the referee awarded a penalty try and issued a yellow card to the infringing Kelaniya player. It was a turning point that changed the game’s complexion. (UoK 24–12 UoC)
Soon after, Colombo kicker Bhashana Wijesinghe delivered a brilliant touch-finder to earn a 5-meter lineout. Again, Kelaniya were penalized for collapsing the maul. Colombo front rower Kethaka Kalubowila took a quick tap and crashed over the try line before the defense could react. Bhashana Wijesinghe successfully added the conversion. (UoK 24–19 UoC)
Colombo then mounted another attack into Kelaniya territory, putting immense pressure on the Kelani defense. Eventually, they scored their fourth try near the left corner flag and managed to square the game. (UoK 24–24 UoC)
Though Kelaniya were restored to their full complement of 15 players, the damage had already been done. However, the gritty lads from Kelaniya bounced back and advanced close to the try line once again. Following a scrum, ex-Peterite Hashim Deen made a brilliant break and offloaded the ball to Bandara, who crossed over for Kelaniya’s fifth try. (UoK 29–24 UoC)
Unfortunately for Kelaniya, another player was yellow-carded for a high tackle, further jeopardizing their progress. With the one-man advantage, Colombo changed their attacking strategy—shifting focus to their three-quarters instead of the forwards. The decision paid off, as Bhashana went over for the winning try at the left corner after some fluid line movement. (UoK 29–29 UoC)
In the dying moments, the Kelaniya outfit fought hard to produce a match-winning try, but the yellow card disadvantage hindered their efforts. At the end of the day, the courageous lads from Colombo, led by former Ananda College second-rower Avishka Induranga, managed to edge out the high-flying Kelani side with a clinical display. The yellow cards undoubtedly changed the course of the game. Additionally, Kelaniya’s place kicker missed three regulation conversions, and had those gone over, the final result might have been different.
Full-Time: University of Colombo 34 (6T, 2C) – 29 (5T, 2C) University of Kelaniya
