Zahira clinch first Plate win in high scoring thriller
Zahira College prevailed to secure their first win, edging out Ananda College 43-39 in the Plate Segment game of the Dialog Schools Rugby League 2025, played at Rajagiriya yesterday.
In a high-scoring clash featuring 12 tries, Zahira accounted for seven of them, converting four while Ananda racked up their points through five tries, four conversions, and two penalties. Both teams earned bonus points, with the scores deadlocked at 14-all at the half-time break.
After an evenly contested opening phase, Zahira breached Ananda’s territory to break the ice with a well-worked try from fullback Imad Inam, who also added the extra points to help his team take a 7-0 lead in the 13th minute. Ananda responded almost immediately when fullback Deneth Chamuditha broke through the Zahira defence to score in the 16th minute. With fly-half Thenula Wijewardane’s conversion, Ananda levelled the scores and began to apply pressure on the visitors.
Zahira skipper Puqman Nadeem scored one of the seven tries against Ananda - Pic by Eshan Fernando
Their efforts eventually paid off in the 26th minute through a determined effort by their forwards, who collectively added Ananda’s second try. Chamuditha added the conversion to take the lead at 14-7.Undeterred, Zahira continued to probe for scoring opportunities and succeeded through a gritty run by skipper and centre Luqman Nadeem, who breached the Ananda defence in the 35th minute. Inam’s successful conversion once again levelled the scores at 14-all by the half-time whistle.
Chamuditha turned out to be Ananda’s standout performer when he slotted over a penalty in the 40th minute to restore their lead at 17-14. Buoyed by confidence, Ananda transformed more forward pressure into points by scoring their third try, which was once again converted by Chamuditha to extend their lead to a comfortable 24-14.
But Zahira turned the tables in the 50th minute when No.8 Abdul Muzil stunned the Ananda defence with an unconverted try, narrowing the gap to 24-19. Continuing their momentum, Zahira equalised through a superb effort from flanker Saifullah Zulficar, who added another unconverted try to bring the score to 24-all.
Two back-to-back tries followed for Zahira, putting them in a commanding position. The first came in the 61st minute when fullback Inam crossed the line for his second unconverted try. Then, in the 63rd minute, scrum-half Afham Abdeen sold a dummy before scoring, with winger Abdullah Hassan adding the conversion to give Zahira a 36-24 lead.
After several failed attempts, Ananda opted for a long-range penalty, which Chamuditha brilliantly converted from 58 metres to trim the deficit to 36-27. However, another brilliant effort from centre Imtiyaz Iflan in the 67th minute, coupled by the conversion from Hassan put Zahira in an untouchable position at 43-27.
But two back-to-back identical tries from the Ananda forwards in the 70th minute, and during extra time put Zahira in a distressed position. The second of them was converted by Chamuditha as Ananda fell short by five runs in a high-scoring game, where Zahira emerged victorious by 43-39.