The Champion St. Peter’s College rugby team celebrate on the podium. Players in front from left: Chanupa Cooray, Sudesh Jayawickrema, Osanda Lakshan, Thenusha Thilinda, Cheran Tissaaratchy, Anuk Fernando and Venuk Ratnayake. Back row players from left: Chathumina Nethsara, Ranmuthulage Niranjan, Shehan Natalian, Ishan Fernando (captain) Dineth Ranasinghe, Kushan Tharindu, Shane Fernando and Devon Maas
Twelve leading school teams broke out from obscurity and confinement over the past 22 months stricken by the covid 19 pandemic to herald a new beginning to school rugby as they contested the Western Province inter-school Dialog Sevens tournament at the Royal College Sports Complex.
But the honoour of pocketing the top prize went to St. Peter’s College whose players under the guidance of award-winning coach Sanath Martis beat S. Thomas’ College in the Cup Championship final 19-17 in what turned out into a tension-filled match last Sunday.
No team had it easy in the run-up to the final and the Peterites were tested to the limits and were able to resist the challenges thanks to the training and preparation they were subjected to away from the rugby following fraternity.
Coming out as the perfect finished products in their new playing jersey, the Peterites overcame a tough and enterprising DS Senanayake College 19-14 in the semi finals while the Thomians struck down their traditional foe Royal College 21-12 in their semi final clash.
The Thomians had a chance of equalizing against the Peterites in the final minute of play but their conversion to the try went astray.
The Peterites took credit for making a splendid fight-back after trailing 0-12 at one stage in the first half to take the lead 14-12 and went ahead further midway in second half when their captain and winger Ishan Fernando covered half the length of the ground to touch down for what eventually became the match-winning try.
But one player in the Thomian team, Mahith Perera, had the consolation of walking away with the award for the best player of the tournament.The teams that did not qualify for the Cup had to settle for the lesser trophies with Royal taking the Plate, Wesley College taking the Bowl and Isipathana College carrying away the Shield.