In a thrilling week two clash of the Dialog Schools Rugby League Cup, Royal College hosted Wesley College in what turned out to be an intense, back-and-forth encounter. Both teams, considered front-runners in the competition, locked horns in a highly anticipated showdown. Ultimately, it was the boys in blue from Campbell park who emerged victorious, overcoming the Tuskers with a final scoreline of 24–17, bouncing back in style after last week’s disappointment against Isipathana College.
The visitors from Wesley wasted no time asserting themselves. Barely two minutes into the game, playmaker Abdul Hadhi pierced through Royal’s defence with a dazzling 30-meter break. With the referee playing advantage for an offside, Praththana Rodrego spotted space out wide. Following a perfectly timed draw-and-pass from Mohammed Fawaz, Rodrego dotted down in the corner for the opening try, which was coolly converted by Hadhi from a tight angle. (RC 00 – 07 WC)
Royal’s start went from bad to worse when the assistant referee spotted a high tackle from their fly-half on Mohammed Fawaz, earning him a 10-minute stint in the sin bin. It was a disastrous beginning for the home side, losing a key playmaker so early in the contest.
With a man down, Royal’s attack lacked structure, and their defence began to falter. Fawaz, once again at the centre of the action, sliced through the defence and charged within five meters of the try line, only to be stopped by a resilient Royal red-zone defence.
The game soon evolved into a tactical kicking battle, where Wesley College showcased their superior kicking game, continuously gaining territory and applying pressure.
Royal, however, found their moment. Awarded a lineout just 10 meters from the try line, their trademark maul came to life, and Imthisal Nazeer powered over to score, despite being a man short. The conversion, taken by replacement kicker Simak Shafeek, narrowly missed. (WC 07 – RC 05)
Wesley continued to look dangerous with ball in hand and through their tactical kicking. However, several handling errors and missed opportunities cost them valuable points, failing to capitalize on their momentum.
The intensity of the game escalated further around the 20th minute when Wesley’s captain was shown a yellow card for a dangerous tip tackle on Dinuka Perera, reducing the visitors to 14 men. This was Royal’s chance to take control, but once again, unforced errors and poor discipline hindered their progress. And that was how the first half of the game was brought to an end
Half-time: Wesley College 07 – Royal College 05
With only a two-point margin separating the two teams at the start of the second half, it was the home side, Royal College, who kicked things off. They quickly regained possession from the restart and introduced their key player, Naqeeb Mohamed, off the bench — a move that would soon have an impact.
Not long after, a scrum was awarded to the Tuskers. A brilliantly executed set piece by the backline gave skipper Amika Samarasinghe the perfect opportunity to finish in the corner, thanks to a pinpoint pass from second centre Yuvan Pathirana. Idris Farook made no mistake with the conversion from out wide, allowing Royal to draw first blood in the second half. (WC 07 – RC 12)
The restart from Wesley College faltered when Kaizer Lye’s kick failed to travel the required 10 metres, awarding Royal a scrum at the halfway mark. The Tuskers attempted another smart set-piece move, with Pathirana spotting space in the backfield and opting for a kick through, but the ball was just a bit too heavy and ran dead.
Wesley responded strongly, capitalising on a scrum at the 50-metre line. A fluid combination of forwards and backs brought them deep into Royal territory, but a costly fumble returned possession — and momentum — back to the Royalists.
The game shifted into a tactical kicking battle, with both teams vying for territorial advantage. However, Royal were penalised when their winger was deemed to be in front of kicker Idris Farook — a call that sparked controversy among spectators. This gave Wesley a golden opportunity just 5 metres from the try line. From the ensuing lineout, they set up a powerful rolling maul, followed by a few tight phases, allowing the massive prop Nelith Hapugala to crash over the line. Abdul Hadhi slotted the conversion beautifully from the corner, pushing Wesley back into the lead. (WC 14 – RC 12)
With just 15 minutes remaining, tension reached a fever pitch at the Royal College Sports Complex — a level of intensity unmatched this season. Wesley, determined to extend their lead, once again set up a rolling maul under the scoreboard and surged toward the try line. Though grounding was unclear, referee Yatawara awarded the try, a decision that stirred further controversy. Hadhi couldn’t add the extras this time. (WC 19 – RC 12)
Then came a crucial moment: straight from the restart, Royal’s captain Amika Samarasinghe was shown a yellow card for a late tackle, ending his match prematurely. Down a man, Royal dug deep and showed a renewed sense of urgency. Their backline sparked into life, attacking with a ferocity not seen earlier. After relentless pressure and support from the forwards, Imthisal Nazeer powered over the line. Farook was unlucky with the conversion, the ball striking the post. The deficit narrowed once again to just two points. (WC 19 – RC 17)
With less than five minutes remaining, Wesley kicked off, and Royal were once again penalised — this time deep inside their own danger zone. Disas Pathirana managed to steal possession and had a chance to clear the ball, but in a risky decision, the Royalists chose to run it from their own in-goal area. It backfired, as they conceded a penalty that would all but seal their fate.
With a penalty just five metres out and the referee indicating it would be the final play of the game, Wesley took a quick tap and charged forward. After a few bruising phases, it was the indomitable Hapugala who powered over the line once more, securing the win — and breaking a 20-year-long curse that had loomed larger than any player on the pitch. (WC 24 – RC 17)
Full-time: Wesley College 24 – Royal College 17
Swisstek Perfect player of the match – Naham Hemachandra
Points Breakdown
Wesley college
Praththana Rodrigo 1T (5), Naham Hemachandra 1T (5), Nelith Hapugala 2T (10), Abdul Hadhi 2C (4)
Royal College
Imthisal Nazeer 2T (10), Amika Samarasinghe 1T (5), Idris Farook 2C (4)
