Trinity met Kingswood in a much anticipated all Kandy clash. From all accounts it was a stunning game of rugby with Trinty scoring a last gasp winner to overhaul the four point lead that Kingswood took with them into injury time.
The final scoreline of 27-24 will leave the Kingswoodians devastated, and means that they cannot win the league.
Despite not playing the best rugby all season, Trinity have been a very good side. They have good combinations and Ratwatte is probably one of the most cultured players on the circuit. The win is not undeserved on paper, but whether they have deserved the wins on the day, is debatable.
Nevertheless with this all important win they give themselves an outside chance to win the league, if Kingswood beat Isipatana next week. But now without the ability to win the league, whether Kingswood will be able to lift themselves we will have to see.
Isipatana are likely to come flying out of the blocks, after suffering a virtual defeat drawing with Peters 25 all. The game was another sizzler with both defences found wanting. Most of the scoring was done early in the game and at half time Isipatana led 20 – 13. Their usually awesome second half performance was not on hand this time as they scored only 5 points to their opponents twelve in the second half.
For the Peterites who scored in the first and last minutes of the game, it was Kevin Dixon who played the Patana brand of rugby better than the Greens on the day. He dazzled and stepped, and powered his way through for his second hat trick of the season. It was the first time Isipatana were facing a team that was willing to run at them, and the same holes that appeared against Trinity opened up again this time time.
Once again, the same malaise that set in against Royal and Trinity, where Isipatana relax after taking a lead was apparently. At 20 – 13 and then at 25 – 18, they thought they had the game sealed and didn’t do enough. The Peterite forwards can take the credit for that, as they were aggressive and up for this game. It was an entertaining game where only the spectators were the ultimate winners. SPC also have to ask themselves whether they play better without Burah as first receiver in their backline, since the second half was played largely without him.
In another thriller Science held on stoutly to defend a 23 – 20 lead against St. Joseph’s. The Joes were defensively awful to allow in the points they did for Science who played an unconventional attacking game, and the quickness of the Science ball carriers had the Darley Road defense in tatters. When they finally regrouped and launched their assault it was too little too late.
There was some controversy after the game with Taariq Saleh being handed a red card by referee Cader. Video evidence suggests that he may have carded the wrong man, and it will be interesting to see how the SLSRFA and the Referees’ Society respond to the mistaken identity. It’s not the first time it has happened to the Josephians with Yohann Keyser being wrongly sent off in 2011. So they have a right to feel aggrieved.
Nevertheless a loss is a loss, and it makes the Lady Jayatilleka shield against S.Thomas’ next week all the more important for the bottom two sides.
S. Thomas’ wrested the Michael Guneratne Trophy back from Royal last year, but the visit was short lived, as they surrendered it again with a 36-17 victory. The scoreline doesn’t suggest the true nature of the game as the Thomians contested bravely against a Royal team that was just too good.
Nimshan Jayawardena was direct and his forwards were excellent and physical managing to completely overpower their younger Thomian counterparts. The game however highlighted out how ineptly set pieces and rolling mauls are refereed in Sri Lanka and the lack of awareness of what defensive sides do and shouldn’t do, is a major problem.
Royal scored as many as six tries, but STC managed to touch down three times in an effort that saves them the embarrassments caused by Peters and Patana. They will look to the Josephian game as a must win.
