St. Peter’s prevail with close win over DS
St. Peter’s College prevailed with a close win over D.S. Senanayake College by 27-17 in the crucial Dialog Schools League Rugby 2025 encounter played at Bambalapitiya yesterday. With the two teams coming into the field having recorded three wins each it was going to be the deciding match who will qualify to play in the Cup segment.
The Peterites though taking a comfortable 19-0 lead the breather underwent some anxious moments and made up their points through four tries and two conversions to three tries and a conversion scored by the Dons. The effort put in by D.S. Senanayake in the second half, restricting the home team to five points and piling up 17 points, proved to be insufficient to prevent them from getting past the Bamba Brigade.
A Peterite player looks for support against a tight DS defence - Pic by Eshan Fernando
The Peterites began the scoreboard ticking in the ninth minute from an unconverted try by prop Janith Ratnayake and from there it was a closely contested affair with both sides sharing honours. St. Peter’s surged ahead in the 19th minute with centre Revon Perera going over and winger Rajith Geon adding the extra points.
It was another battle for the ball between the two teams but an opportunity saw the Peterites take advantage in the 31st minute with flyhalf Jamal Wahab going over for a try. With winger Pasan Pamuditha making no mistake with the conversion, the Peteries increased their lead to 19-0 which stood as the scores at lemons.
On resumption DS made the first move with the game was in its 37th minute with No.8 Prabeen Lakmal barging his way for a try but the conversion was fluffed. Though DS dominated proceedings, the Peterites just as in their third try scored in the first half, succeeded to further increase their lead in the 55th minute with an unconverted try from No.8 Shenuka Perera.
DS undeterred, took up the challenge and succeeded to decrease their deficit three minutes later with winger Kushan Priyalal going over for a try which was converted. DS, buoyed by the try, continued to put the Peterite defence under pressure and further succeeded to decrease the lead with No.8 Lakmal going for an unconverted try. But it came too late as the long whistle was blown with the Peteries coming out victorious and making it to the Cup segment. D.S. Senanayake will now be one of the six teams to fight it out in the Plate segment.