Mahanama shock Rajans
Newcomers to the top rank, Mahanama College made a remarkable recovery to record an upsetting 15-5 win against favourites Dharmaraja College in a second week fixture of Dialog Schools Rugby League 2025 played at the Air Force ground in Ratmalana yesterday.
Following the thumping by Isipathana College by 34-19 in their season debut, Mahanama came into the game against the former League winners, Rajans, with a different mindset, only to run off with a close win in a low scoring game played under challenging weather conditions.
A Mahanama forward tries to evade the Rajans on his way forward - Pic by Eshan Fernando
The winners scored from two converted tries, while playing a far superior game than last week to concede a solitary unconverted try by the end of the game. At halftime both teams were locked at 5-all, after being rudely tested by the weather, in addition to their opponents, who were tougher towards the end.
However, the beginning was a rather different for the eventual winners, who were shocked in the fourth minute by a fierce try by Dharmaraja No.8 Dumindu Rajapakse. Though Mahanama lost one of their forwards in the 13th minute for a yellow card offense, they managed to hold fort and cross over for an unconverted try by hooker Isuru Chamuditha in the 28th minute as both teams were levelled at 5-all at the halftime break.
After the turnaround, the Rajans attempted a major comeback, despite losing their lock forward for a yellow card offence just before the halftime break. Yet Mahanama managed to clinically handle the tough Dharmaraja offence and countered well by adding two more unconverted tries to their tally. Hooker Chamuditha landed his second try in the 36th minute, while skipper and centre Navith Kannangara braced a try in the 47th minute to see Mahanama through in their first major win.