The spirited Summa Brigade executed an exceptional counter against Thurstan College to secure a 33-20 win in their fourth-week fixture of the Dialog Schools Rugby League 2025, played at the Bogambara Rugby Stadium.
The visitors kicked off things under the gloomy Kandy sky. Without wasting any time, Thurstan started to trouble the scorers. After launching a fierce attack near the tryline, Thurstan No. 08, Sithija Jayathilake, went over the line to plant the first try of the match. The reliable placekicker Amindu Rajapaksha made no mistake with the under-post conversion. (SCK 00-07 TC)
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Thurstan once again later on executed an excellent attack near to the try line, and all of a sudden the fly-half, Esitha Apoorwa, made a successful drop goal kick from nowhere. (SCK 00-10 TC)
Again, the Thurstan forwards did a remarkable job to outclass the Sumangala defense line and reach over the try line. However, the Referee unfortunately decided that there wasn’t any ball grounding.
In the thirteenth minute, the Sumangala player was penalized for using his hands in the ruck. Thurstan kicker Amindu Rajapaksha nailed another easy chance to extend their lead. (SCK 00-13 TC)
However, the hometown lads never looked down and bounced back within a couple of minutes. Sumangala was awarded a penalty for a high tackle. They took a delayed tap, and Tharusha Theekshana went over the try line after playing a couple of phases. Sumangala placekicker Pasindu Samarakoon added the extras. (SCK 07-13 TC)
Then Thurstan managed to execute another fierce play on the hosts and put all the pressure on their defense line. Ultimately, the Summa Brigade was lucky, and the Thurstan forwards were penalized for being off their feet while they were short of an inch or two from the try line.
By making things worse for Sumangala, the Referee Ishanka Abeykoon showed a yellow card to the Sumangala player. Thurstan then intensified their attack to capitalise on the extra man advantage. However, the determined Sumangala boys’ resilience was next level, and they managed to hold the game until lemons without conceding any points. That passage of play surely looked like it completely damaged the game momentum of Thurstan.
Half Time: Thurstan College 13 (1T 1C 1DG 1P) – 07 (1T 1C) Wariyapola Sri Sumangala
In the second half, the Summa brigade looked more aggressive and a positive unit compared to the first half. After a few minutes, the referee sin-binned a Thurstan player. Unlike the visitors, Sumangala took maximum advantage of the extra man on the field and scored a try through Rishmina Dilshan. Further, Pasindu made a successful convention to give the lead to the hosts for the very first time in the game. (SCK 14-13 TC)
Later, the Thurstan side was reduced to fourteen men again as their big prop forward was guilty of an offside play after repeating the same mistake on a few occasions earlier. Then the Summa brigade kept threatening near the try line after the penalty. Later on, their forwards powered over the line, but failed to ground the ball due to exceptional defensive work done by Thurstan. Before the visitors were restored to XV men, Tharusha Dilshan managed to score Summa’s third try by carrying away the game from the hands of the visitors. The conversion attempt went astray.
(SCK 19-13 TC)
Thereafter, Sumangala, the clearance kicker, spotted a no man’s area behind the defense line and kicked the ball there. Therefore, three-quarters of the Thurstan had to run backwards to collect the ball before the chases. The Thurstan blindside winger made good ground and was the first to reach the ball. However, he then made a mess of the entire season and made a knock-on. By the way, the ball was gifted to charging Sumangala Captain Adithya Rathnayake, and after a couple of steps, he made a dive to complete the try. Once again, Pasindu made a successful conversion to extend the lead of the hosts.
(SCK 26-13 TC)
Thereafter, the Summa brigade tightened the pressure on visitors and kept attacking near to the try line. After that, Sumangala managed to execute a brilliant work of the line, and their winger Sachin Snathuka managed to overlap the defense from the far corner and came back through to plant an under-the-post try. Then, Pasindu was successful again with his footwork.
(SCK 33-13 TC)
In the dying minutes of the game, Sumangala was reduced to 14 men due to a yellow card, and Thurstan tried hard to earn a consolation try. After a series of eventful plays, finally the Thurstan forwards barged their way into the scoring line. Sithija Jayathilake scored his second, while Thurstan’s placekicker Amindu Rajapaksha nailed the conversion. (SCK 33-20 TC)
After that anticlimax, the Referee blew the long whistle.
Full Time: Thurstan College 20 (2T 2C 1DG 1P) – 33 (5T 4C) Wariyapola Sri Sumangala
Swisstek Perfect Player of the Match: Shashika Bandara (Sri Sumangala College)
Points Breakdown
Wariyapola Sri Sumangala College – 33
Tharusha Theekshana 1T, Rishmina Dilshan 1T, Tharusha Dilshan 1T, Adithya Rathnayake 1T, Sachin Santhuka 1T, Pasindu Samarakoon 4C
Thurstan College – 20
Sithija Jayathilake 2T, Esitha Apoorwa 1DG, Amindu Rajapaksha 2C 1P
