Zahira College beat Dharmaraja College by 24 points (2 goals,1 try and a penalty-try) to 8 (1 try and a penalty) in their inter-school League rugby match at Maradana yesterday to book a place in the second round.
Zahira played a dominating game from the start and outplayed Dharmaraja in all departments of the game. It was a much improved performance and they played according to a plan. Their forwards were far superior as Amjad Fawmy the prop forward was dangerous in the set pieces.
He broke away in the set pieces and made inroads in the opponents defence on numerous occasions.
The Rajans opened the scoring in the 16th minute of the first half after the Zahira line was caught offside as centre Bawantha Udayangana put over the penalty to make it 3-0 after missing a sitter in front of the post a few minutes earlier.
But Zahira came back to play some brilliant rugby as prop forward Amjad first sneaked through to touch down off a maull after winning the ball from a 20 meter line out in opponents territory. Centre Minhaj Samsudeen converted it to make it 7-3.
Hooker Shameem Nasar scored Zahira’s second try off a beautiful move for Minhaj to convert and make it 14-3.
Just before the end of the first half Zahira’s play-maker of the day Amjad Fawmy scored their third try of a maul which went unconverted. At lemons the home team led 19-3.
In the second Zahira hosts ran riot in the Rajans territory and dominated play in all departments but lacked the finishing touches to score more tries.
Zahira were awarded a penalty-try in the 16th minute of the second half.
in the dying stages the Rajans intercepted the ball and winger Gayan Madusanka scored by the right corner flag for Udyangana to convert.
Akeel Jamaldeen refereed.