Last minute glory for Royalists
Royal scored from four tries, two conversions and two penalties to amass 30 points, while S. Thomas’ responded with four tries, three conversions and a penalty, finishing with 29 points.
A Royal player surges forward, as S. Thomas' were stunned at home by a whisker - Pic by Priyanka Samaraweera
The game kicked off with a burst of action as Royal quickly set the tone. Diminutive No.8 Disas Pathirana, controlled the tempo and executed a clever counter attack, darting into the left corner to score an unconverted try just two minutes into the game. The Reid Avenue boys were off to a perfect start, leading 5-0 early on.
Flyhalf Idris Farouk, extended Royal’s lead with a straightforward 25-metre penalty in the eighth minute, making it 8-0. But S. Thomas’, never one to back down, answered with a penalty of their own. Winger Mayanka Dias calmly slotted it through the uprights, bringing the score to 3-8 in the 17th minute.
The game’s tension continued to mount when, in the 20th minute, Farouk missed a critical 25-metre penalty attempt, a moment that could have put Royal in a top position. Despite this, Royal surged forward again, with Pathirana touching down for their second try in the 25th minute after the Television Match Official (TMO) gave the nod for the score. Mohamed Simak converted, increasing Royal’s lead to 15-3.
S. Thomas’ responded with their own flair. Flanker Teishiya Aluvihare crossed the line for an unconverted try, and the Thomians were back within striking distance at 8-15 in the 28th minute. Royal regained their composure as Simak slotted a 22-metre penalty just before the break, extending their lead to 18-8 at halftime.
The second half saw S. Thomas’ come out with renewed vigor. Inside the first five minutes, winger Mayanka Dias scurried across the try line, reducing the deficit to 15-18, putting the Thomians right back in the hunt.
Royal responded almost immediately with another Pathirana try in the 42nd minute. Simak converted to extend the lead to 25-15. But S. Thomas’ kept the pressure on, with winger Dias finishing off a blistering try in the 55th minute after a deft pass from centre Chanuth Eheliyagoda. Dias converted his own try, closing the gap to just three points at 22-25.
The match hit its peak in the 62nd minute, when S. Thomas’ took the lead for the first time in the game. Dias scored a try and added the conversion, giving the Thomians a 29-25 advantage. With the trophy slipping from their grasp, Royal found themselves in desperate need of a last-minute response.
And response they did. With the clock ticking down, a well-executed driving maul saw Royal’s big lock Yoshitha Sithumina charge over the try line, scoring the game-winning try in the 78th minute. The stadium erupted as the crowd surged forward, witnessing Royal’s dramatic comeback.
The final whistle blew with Royal ahead, 30-29, securing their seventh consecutive Michael Gunaratne Trophy victory under the captaincy of centre Amika Samarasinghe and head coach Dushanth Lewke.