Royal hold nerve in second-half comeback to stun St. Peter’s
Royal College skipper and winger Amika Samarasinghe touched down twice, scoring two crucial tries that turned the tide of the Dialog Schools Rugby League 2025 second-round Cup Segment clash, wresting the game from the clutches of St. Peter’s College to secure a thrilling 27-24 victory at Bambalapitiya yesterday. Meeting for the 78th time in their traditional encounter, Royal regained the B.C. Anghie Memorial Trophy after a lapse of seven years, last having won it in 2018 under the captaincy of Sabith Feroze.
The Royalists made a remarkable start, returning to action after a week-long break following their first-round campaign, which concluded with four wins and a solitary loss to traditional rivals Trinity College. They accumulated their points through four tries, two conversions, and a penalty. St. Peter’s, who endured a shaky start in the first round with four unconvincing wins and a heavy defeat to Wesley College, staged a spirited comeback, scoring four tries and two conversions, while leading 14-8 at half-time.
Flanker Aman Althaf braced Royal's first try - Pic by Eshan Fernando
Despite being outplayed in the first half, Royal were clinical after the break, dominating territory and possession to score three of their four tries in the second half. St. Peter’s had only themselves to blame, having squandered a crucial penalty and two conversions—errors that ultimately proved costly. Their placekicker and winger, Pasan Pamuditha, lost his rhythm in the second half, compounding their woes.
Royal opened the scoring in the fourth minute, validating their status as title contenders, when flanker Aman Althaf completed a well-constructed forwards’ move. However, fly-half Idris Farouk’s difficult conversion attempt failed, as Royal led 5-0 early in the match.
St. Peter’s responded almost immediately, though their first try was disallowed after being held up by Royal’s defenders. Lock Revone Perera, however, bulldozed his way through in the ninth minute to score, with Pamuditha adding the extras to put the hosts ahead 7-5.
Royal regained the lead in the 18th minute with a successful penalty from Farouk, making it 8-7. But St. Peter’s soon settled into their rhythm, and centre Nethushan Manthusha finished off a slick backs’ move in the 23rd minute. Pamuditha’s conversion restored the Peterites’ lead at 14-8, with Royal’s subsequent attacking efforts repelled effectively by the hosts. In their growing desperation, Royal prop Yoshitha Sithumina was shown a yellow card in the 34th minute, leaving the Peterites ahead 14-8 at the break.
The second half began with a fierce territorial battle, and the Peterites found themselves under pressure when flanker Heshara Madugaspe was sin-binned in the 38th minute. With both sides temporarily reduced to 14 men, it was Royal who capitalised.
Skipper Amika Samarasinghe stunned the Peterite defence immediately after the card, scoring under the posts. Farouk’s conversion put Royal back in front at 15-14. A well-coordinated forwards’ move then allowed hooker Imthizal Nazir to touch down in the 45th minute, with Farouk adding the conversion to extend the lead to 22-14. Samarasinghe struck again with Royal’s bonus-point try in the 58th minute, though it went unconverted, taking the score to 27-14 and leaving the Peterites chasing the game.
St. Peter’s refused to go down without a fight. Scrum-half Jamal Wahab crossed over in the 62nd minute, and skipper and centre Vishenka Silva followed up with another try in the 69th minute, giving the home crowd renewed hope. However, their resurgence was undermined by Pamuditha’s three missed conversions—including a vital penalty midway through the half—that could have added seven more points to their tally.
In the end, Royal held on for a narrow but deserved win. St. Peter’s, despite the loss, earned two bonus points—one for scoring four tries and another for losing within five points—mirroring Royal’s bonus point haul.