Sri Sumangala College locked horns with hometown rivals, Vidyartha College, on Friday (21st June) in a crucial Dialog Schools Rugby League 2025 encounter, bringing high-intensity rugby and thunderous crowd support to the Trinity College Rugby grounds.
Gritty forward battles, strong defensive work, and physical exchanges at the breakdown defined the first 35 minutes of the game. Vidyartha College managed to strike first midway through the half, catching Sumangala off-guard with a quick recycling near the try line that led to the opening try with the help of their big tighthead prop, Yashmitha Hiran. (VC 05 – SSC 00)
Despite creating a few attacking chances, Sri Sumangala couldn’t break through Vidyartha’s disciplined defence, and vice versa. Handling errors and turnovers at key moments halted their momentum. A mistake that haunted both teams throughout the first 35 minutes of the game.
The half ended with Vidyartha holding a narrow lead, and the game was finely poised for a dramatic second half.
Half Time: VC 05 (1T) – 00 SSC
After a scoreless first half, Sri Sumangala College came out of the break with a renewed sense of urgency, and they meant business. Their forwards began punching holes through Vidyartha’s line, and the tempo of the game shifted heavily in Sumangala’s favour.
Vidyartha committing too many penalties gave Sumangala their first opportunity to add some points to their name. Scrum Half, Shashika Bandara, with his quick thinking, takes a quick tap and passes it to the winger, Ashen Udara, who attacks at a brilliant angle to score the first try whilst the Vidyartha defence was still unorganised. Standoff Pasindu Samarakoon added the extras, giving his team the lead in the match. (VC 05 – SSC 07)
Five minutes later, Vidyatha found themselves in a similar position to the first, committing too many foul plays in the breakdown. Capitalising, the nippy scrum of Sumangala, Shashika Bandara took a quick tap off a penalty near the opposition 5-meter line, sniped through a defensive gap, and touched down, registering his first try of the game. (VC 05 – SSC 12)
It was the Tigers that had the next opportunity to add some points to the board. This time around, Sumangala found themselves committing infringements in their red zone. A brilliant maul set up and a couple of “pick and go” phases by the big Vidyartha pack saw their Loosehead Prop, Mohommad Rashid, finding the whitewash for his team. Standoff Kavindu Hevage added the extras, equalising the scoreline. (VC 12 – SSC 12)
Similar to his first, the nippy scrum half, Shashika Bandara, found himself under the posts; in a quick move that did not let the lads from Katugastota catch a breather. His quick thinking helped his team regain the lead it had lost. Pasindu Samarakoon adds the extras. (VC 12 – SSC 19)
With 10 minutes remaining on the match clock, it was anyone’s game. Both teams were fighting valiantly to register the first win of the Dialog Schools Rugby League 2025. Yet, both teams struggled too much with handling errors and indiscipline in the breakdowns, often giving away possessions. In the 68th minute, Sumangala sealed the game by pulling off a textbook-style “pass and support” passage of play. This time around, it was the full-back Chamod Perera, who was able to find the whitewash at the corner flag of the pitch. (VC 12 – SSC 24)
This win marks the first ever win for Sri Sumangala College in the Dialog Schools Rugby League Division ‘A’.
Full Time: VC 12 (2T 1C) – 24 (4T 2C) SSC
SWISSTEK Perfect Player of the Match – Shashika Bandara (SSC)
Points Breakdown
Sri Sumangala College- 24 (Shashika Bandara 2T, Ashen Udara 1T, Chamod Perera 1T, Pasindu Samarakoon 2C)
Vidyartha College- 12 (Yashmitha Hiran 1T, Mohammad Rashid 1T, Kavindy Hevage 1C)
 in a crucial Dialog Schools Rugby League 2025 encounter, bringing high-intensity rugby and thunderous crowd support to the Trinity College Rugby grounds.){kind=link}