Sports - Royal run riot to drub Rajans

Royal College warmed up for their next week’s cruncher against Isipathana when they outclassed Dharmaraja College by 37 points (2 Goals, 4 Tries and 1 Penalty) to 12 Points (1 Goal, 1 Try) win at the Royal Sports Complex yesterday. The winners had not only to beat their opponents but also to beat the muddy ground conditions and semi darkness. At the short breather Royal led 18-7.

The win was not a convincing one though the Royal forwards looked dangerous when allowed to attack. The wet ground conditions did not allow the three quarters to have a field day. Royal number 8 Diran Warunakulasuriya’s threatening moves were a constant occurrence. In total the Royal eight had too much flair and power over their opponents who played well in patches. The Rajans on most occasions tried to kick and chase instead of keeping the ball with their forwards. Young Naren Das was the player to look forward to. The 16-year-old nippy scrum half enjoyed an outstanding game foxing the Rajans defence on several occasions.

Royal drew first blood in the 4th minute when hooker Bilal Hassen brushed aside a few defenders to score mid left. The difficult conversion was missed by his brother Omar. Soon after that in the 6th minute the Rajans came back strongly in to Royal territory and kept on attacking. In the end full back Shane Ratnayake touched down. Sumedha Alahakoon added the extra points to take a 7-5 lead.

But the Rajans lead was short lived. Omar Hassen after missing one, was on target in the 10th minute with a 25 meter penalty for Royal to take a 8-7 lead. Then came one of the best tries of the game when the Rajans were in attack in Royal territory. The ball went loose and the dashing Royal winger Suvindra Lenaduwa covered nearly 60 meters to touch down. (Royal 13 Dharmaraja 7).

Five minutes later off a sweeping three quarter move scrum half Naren Das scored to take “Lemons” at 18-7.

In the second half Royal scored three tries through flanker Gayashan Wijesinghe, Bilal Hassen and Manil Abeyratne. Two of them were converted. Rajans who were gallant losers never gave up the game. In this half they scored a solitary try through Shan Ratnayake.

Referee Nishantha (Alex) Chanaka

All the junior games were won by Royal.

Royal will host Isipathana next Saturday at the Royal Sports Complex in their annual Major Milroy Fernando memorial trophy game.