Another high-stake second-round bowl segment encounter of the Dialogue Schools’ Rugby League 2025 unfolded at the Nittawela Rugby Fortress as high-riding Thurstan College clashed with the Kandyan lads from Dharamaraja. The visitors managed to survive the scare by Dharmaraja to earn a crucial 37 – 22 victory.
The Thurstan outfit came to the game with comfort, and they almost got away from the danger of a demotion after edging out Vidyartha and earning a draw against Mahanama. On the contrary, Dharamaraja is in hot water as the only team in the league to suffer six straight defeats.
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Though Dharmaraja started the game with a foul in the kickoff, they had an early opportunity to score as they managed to bring in a superb rolling maul near to the try line. But the maul was stopped legally, and the opportunity went begging as Rajans knocked the ball while they were trying to offload it.
A few minutes later the visitors struck back in the very same manner with a maul, and the finishing work was given to the three quarters. While working the ball, centre three-quarter Nehad Sally brilliantly side-stepped and dived over the whitewash to score the first blood. Unluckily, Thurstan failed to nail a regulation chance with the conversion. (TC 05 – 00 DC)
After a minute the try scorer Nehad Sally was yellow carded for not retreating 10 meters in a penalty situation.
Without wasting much time, the hosts capitalised on the numerical advantage and came into the party by scoring their first try. Dharmaraja earned a penalty, and with the usual sequence, kick at touch, line out, and rolling maul, the flanker Thiwanka Jayasundara scored the try. (TC 05 – 05 DC)
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Later, Rajans made a mistake by playing too long in their own half and were penalised for not releasing the ball at a tackle. Though one man was down due to the sin bin, the Thurstan forwards were up to the task by executing pick-and-go passes followed by handling work off the line. Though the Rajans defence looked solid at the start with the pressure, Dasun Thamru managed to pierce the defence. and to score, and this time Esitha Apoorwa made no mistake with the conversion. (TC 12 – 05 DC)
Then, more than ten minutes went by without scoring, and suddenly Dharmaraja scored a try from nowhere. The passage of play started with a knock on inside the Rajan’s 22-meter area, and the hosts counterattacked with magnificent handling work and a sprint, covering almost 80% of the ground to score their second. Naveen Rajapaksha planted the try, but Sadeesha Weerakoon missed the conversion kick by a whisker’s margin. (TC 12 – 10 DC)
During the very next play, the Rajans were found guilty for the tackler not releasing the ball at a breakdown. Thurstan decided to go for the points, and Esitha Apoorwa delivered the desired result for the visitors by nailing the penalty kick. (TC 15 – 10 DC).
Afterwards the visitors made an offside offence at a lineout, and it allowed Rajans to have a 5-meter in their favour. Subsequently, the hosts went for a maul, but Thurstan managed to bring it down legally, and then the Dharmaraja nippy scrum half Pawan Manodya went over the try line with a show-and-go play by deceiving the players in the defence. The miserable day of Sadeesha Weerakoon continued as the conversion kick hit the upright bar of the goalpost. (TC 15 – 15 DC)
At the brink of the halftime, Thurstan launched a fierce attack inside the Rajans 22-meter area. After a few outstanding passes and brilliant support of the open side wing, Abdulla Rahuman planted their third try near the left corner flag. (TC 20 – 15 DC)
Half time: Thurstan College 20 (3 T, 1 C, 1 P) – 15 (2 T, 1 C) Dharmaraja College
In the second half, Rajan’s hopes of a resurgence suffered a major dent as Vihanga Yapa was sin-binned for a high tackle. With that advantage, Thurstan marched into the Rajans half and attacked nearer to the try line. While Thurstan forwards were shouldering for a try, the clever skipper Hansa Indramal spotted a loose spot in the defence and jumped into a try through that small gate to open the scoring in the second half. (TC 25 – 15 DC)
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Later, Thurstan managed to stay in the opposition half for a long period, and they kept asking some serious questions from the hosts. After executing a strategic move, Thurstan No. 08 Sithija Sathsara went through the defence, and though he was caught near the try line, the powerful lad managed to score by dragging two tacklers. Thurstan missed an under-the-post conversion as Rajans successfully charged down to the ball and managed to block the kick. (TC 30 – 15 DC)
Within a short period, Rajans counterattacked well and advanced to the try line. By that time, the Thurstan defence looked lacking in discipline and gave away several penalties. Once the visitors were penalised for an offside play, Rajan’s scrum-half went for a quick tap and barged his way towards the try line. Though he was brought down with inches short of the whitewash, the prop forward Dulaksha Rajapaksha went over the line in the next phase for their bonus point. Sanuka Rathnayake added the extras by cutting the deficit to just 8 points, and the game was heading towards a thrilling finish. (TC 30 – 22 DC)
In the final phase of the game, Rajans played hard to have another success, but Thurstan was too strong for them, and the visitors managed to get closer to the try line again by a superb kick at touch. After a few phases, the masculine lad, Sithija Sathsara, went over the line by pushing several defenders to put the final nail on the coffin for the Rajans. Then Esitha Apoorwa had the final say of the day and made a successful conversion. (TC 37 – 22 DC)
With this brilliant victory, the lads of Shamly Nawaz, Thurstan, secured their position in the top division for the next year, and they stepped closer to the Bowl title. On the contrary, the hope of Dharmaraja College is hanging by a thread, and they do have a severe threat of a demotion.
Full time: Thurstan College 37 (6 T, 2 C, 1 P) – 22 (4 T, 1 C) Dharmaraja College
Swisstek Perfect Player of the Match: Sithija Sathsara – Thurstan College
Points Breakdown
Thurstan College, Colombo – 37
Sithija Sathsara 2 T, Hansa Indramal 1 T, Dasun Thmuru 1 T, Nehad Sally 1 T, Abdulla Rahuman 1 T, Esith Apoorwa 2 C 1 P
Dharmaraja College, Kandy – 22
Dulaksha Rajapaksha 1 T, Thiwanka Jayasundara 1 T, Naveen Rajapaksha 1 T, Pawan Manodya 1 T, Sanuka Rathnayake 1 C
Match Referee – Nipuna Amarathunga
