Wesley gun down Royal in intense clash
In a pulsating game of school rugby played with fierce intensity and high stakes, Wesley College held their nerve to clinch a thrilling 24-17 victory over Royal College, keeping their title hopes alive. The game, marked by moments of brilliance, costly errors, and a flurry of penalties, swung back and forth before Wesley ultimately sealed the win with a decisive late try at the Royal Sports Complex. Wesley’s four tries and two conversions were enough to outmatch Royal’s three tries and solitary conversion.
Wesley made an explosive start, getting on the scoreboard as early as the second minute. A beautifully timed offload from forward Hsshim Thabeeth sent Praththana Rodrigo dashing down the left flank to score in the corner. It was a perfect start for the visitors, putting Royal immediately on the back foot.
Two Wesley defenders try their utmost to hold ROyal's Disas Pathirana from moving forward - Pic by M.A. Pushpa Kumara
Things went from bad to worse for Royal when flyhalf Idris Farook was sent to the sin bin for a high tackle, reducing the home side to 14 men for the next 10 minutes. Wesley looked poised to capitalise further, but Royal held on.
Royal responded strongly in the 13th minute, drawing from their traditional strength—a powerful rolling maul. Off a lineout, they powered over the line with hooker Imthisal Nazeer applying the finishing touch. However, the conversion was off target, and Wesley maintained a narrow 7-5 lead. The intensity escalated when Wesley’s Abdul Haadhi was yellow-carded in the 19th minute for a dangerous tackle. The tension was palpable as both teams wrestled for territorial advantage and control.
In the 27th minute, Royal thought they had scored again when winger Didula Jayasuriya dotted down in the right corner off an offload pass from Dinuka Perera. But the referee disallowed the try after ruling that Perera had failed to release the ball in the ruck before the pass—an infringement that kept the score unchanged. Despite their efforts, both teams failed to add to their tally before the break, with Wesley leading 7-5 at halftime.
The second half began with renewed energy from the home side. Just two minutes after the restart, Royal hit the front. Yuwan Pathirana delivered a pinpoint pass to Amika Samarasinghe, who charged over in the left corner. Farouk made amends for his earlier mistake by slotting over the conversion, giving Royal a 12-7 lead and shifting momentum in their favour.
Wesley, however, were not to be outdone. Their persistence in attack paid off in the 52nd minute when Nelith Hapugala powered his way across the line following sustained pressure. Haadie converted, and Wesley reclaimed the lead at 14-12.
The game remained fiercely contested, with both sides displaying tremendous grit. In the 57th minute, Wesley struck again—this time through a clinical rolling maul that ended with their third try of the afternoon through lock Manuga Jayaweera. Though the conversion went astray, they had extended their lead to 19-12. Just moments later, Royal’s captain was sin-binned for rough play, reducing them to 14 men once more.
Despite the numerical disadvantage, Royal refused to fold. Hooker Nazeer scored his second try in the 63rd minute to bring the score to 19-17. Yet again, Farouk failed to convert. As the clock wound down, Wesley sealed the game in dramatic fashion. Hapugala crossed the line for his second try in the dying minutes, securing the bonus point and a crucial win. Haadhi missed the conversion, but the 24-17 scoreline stood.
With this bonus point win, Wesley stay firmly in contention for the schools’ rugby title, while Royal will rue their missed opportunities—especially from the kicking tee and moments of ill-discipline that ultimately tilted the balance.