Another crucial clash in the Plate Segment of the Dialog Schools Rugby League 2026 unfolded at the Sugathadasa Stadium, Colombo, today (13 June). In a display of resilience and tactical maturity, Thurstan College overcame a lightning-fast start by the visitors to secure a crucial and stylish 27-17 victory over Sri Sumangala College.
Sumangala started proceedings with a deep kickoff. Thurstan gathered the ball cleanly, but poor decision-making proved costly early on. The Thurstan receiver attempted an immediate clearance kick despite Sri Sumangala players charging forward at lightning speed. Sumangala applied brilliant pressure on the kick, blocking it and sending the ball towards the Sri Sumangala try line. Sumangala skipper Pasindu Bandara demonstrated excellent awareness by collecting the loose ball and finding space from the far left corner to score the game’s first try. Importantly, this was the quickest try of the league, as it took only seven seconds to score. Pasindu Samarakoon narrowly missed the difficult conversion as the ball struck the crossbar and bounced away. (TC 00 – 05 WSSCK)
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A minute after the restart, the Thurstan brigade bounced back with a superb counter-attack and managed to score their first try. Thurstan skipper and playmaker Ahad Sally spotted a gap in the defence and exploited it from inside his own half. After making around 60 metres with a magnificent sprint, Sumangala’s chasers managed to bring him down just inches short of the whitewash. The responsibility then shifted to the forwards, and after a couple of phases, big front-rower S.K. Tharusha crossed over from a few metres out, just left of the posts. Akeesha Pushpakumara made no mistake with the conversion, and Thurstan grabbed the lead in no time. (TC 07 – 05 WSSCK)
A few minutes later, Thurstan invaded Sumangala territory, and near the 22-metre mark, the Sumangala defence was penalised for offside. Thurstan opted for the posts from a favourable angle, and Akeesha Pushpakumara continued his fine form by nailing the penalty. (TC 10 – 05 WSSCK)
Once again, Thurstan launched a sudden attack on the visitors by invading their territory. Amidu Rajapaksha, operating from inside his own half, somehow broke through the defence and carried play close to the whitewash. At the right moment, he offloaded the ball to skipper Sally. The captain displayed his attacking flair and sliced through the defence with ease. Once again, Pushpakumara was successful with the conversion and extended the lead. (TC 17 – 05 WSSCK)
With the game beginning to slip out of Sumangala’s hands, the visitors responded with another fine attack. They earned a five-metre lineout through a couple of penalties, one for going off their feet and another for failing to retreat 10 metres at a penalty. From the uncontested lineout, Sumangala launched a pick-and-drive attack before suddenly shifting the ball to the three-quarters. As the ball was moved wide, a lovely inside pass created a huge gap for outside centre Maleesha Karunathilake, who dived over for their second try. (TC 17 – 10 WSSCK)
Just as they had earlier in the game, Thurstan responded immediately after conceding. The Thurstan winger who received a box kick passed the ball to skipper Sally in the middle of his own half. Ahad Sally then produced a magnificent sevens-style run that mesmerised the crowd. He beat seven defenders with brilliant side-steps, hand-offs, and running angles before dragging fullback Samarakoon over the whitewash to score a sensational solo try. Surprisingly, Pushpakumara missed the relatively straightforward conversion. (TC 22 – 10 WSSCK)
Although the first 20 minutes produced 32 points, the final 15 minutes of the half remained scoreless while still delivering plenty of thrilling action.
Half Time: Thurstan College, Colombo 22 (3T, 2C, 1P) – 10 (2T, 0C) Wariyapola Sri Sumangala College, Kandy
After the break, Thurstan College picked up where they had left off and applied immense pressure on the visitors. After almost reaching the whitewash from the right corner, Sumangala’s defence did well to force the ball carrier into touch. However, Thurstan received another opportunity following a high-tackle penalty. From a five-metre lineout, Thurstan attempted to score through a driving maul, but the lads from the Hill Capital stood firm in defence. Thurstan then reverted to their powerful pick-and-drive game with the forwards, an area in which they had excelled all afternoon. After seven or eight phases, they finally got their reward as S.K. Tharusha crashed over for his second try, securing the try bonus point. Pushpakumara was again unfortunate with the conversion as his effort struck the left upright. (TC 27 – 10 WSSCK)
During the dying stages of the game, Sri Sumangala earned an offside penalty and advanced beyond the opposition’s 22-metre line. Following the lineout, Thurstan were penalised for collapsing the maul. Sri Sumangala skipper Pasindu Bandara took a quick tap around 10 metres from the try line and weaved around defenders with some clever footwork. After a powerful pick-and-drive sequence, Sumangala No. 8 Tharusha Dilshan drove towards the try line but fell just short. However, he showed great awareness by twisting around in the same movement to score a consolation try. This time, Pasindu Bandara made no mistake with the conversion, but there was still a 10-point deficit with time running out for the visitors. (TC 27 – 17 WSSCK)
During the final 90 seconds, the Thurstanites held their nerve well and prevented Sri Sumangala from adding any further points. The victory does more than simply add points to the table; it significantly boosts Thurstan’s hopes of claiming the Plate title. With a performance that blended early resilience with later dominance, Thurstan College recorded a remarkable victory and sent a warning to all their rivals about the threat they pose in the games to come.
Full Time: Thurstan College, Colombo 27 (4T, 2C, 1P) – 17 (3T, 1C) Wariyapola Sri Sumanagala College, Kandy
Swisstek Perfect Player of the Match: Ahad Sally (Thurstan College)
Points Breakdown
Thurstan College, Colombo – 27
S.K. Tharusha 2T, Ahad Sally 2T, Akeesha Pushpakumara 2C, 1P
Wariyapola Sri Sumanagala College, Kandy – 17
Pasindu Bandara 1T, 1C, Maleesha Karunathilake 1T, Tharusha Dilshan 1T
Match Referee – Raveen Alexander
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