The champion Isipathana College squad made up of Dahan Nithina, Praveen Stephan, Soorya Dodangoda, Venura Sangeeth, Wewala Pandith, Sonal Sansoni, Lahiru Akash, Malith Mihisara, Naveen Kanishka, Rinseh Silva, Sehandu de Costa, Chamidu Chirath, Senuth Dinusara, Dunith Jayaweera, Kenula Mihisara, Shahid Zumri, Kavin Tharusha, Dunila Hansidu, Lasitha Nilupul, Chamath Iroshan, Tehan Ranaweera, Mesaada Rashvida, Hashen Randimal, Kalindu Silva, Dinada Thinul, Manula Heshan, Pubudu Shashin, Hesara Nayanajith and Malith Boteju celebrate winning the 2022 inter school League rugby title
They were unsung and unheralded at the start of the season, but Isipathana College shocked all the pundits and soothsayers as they improved with every game and kept their cool composure to dump aside all the favoured opponents and bag the 2022 inter-school League rugby championships.
It was quite a fitting end to their League quest when they knocked out the defending champions Royal College from their throne in the most decisive game last Sunday to win 21-15 amid a packed Havelock Park where every inch of space was taken up.
The match had to be held up twice due to crowd disturbances but overall Isipathana made certain Royal were not able to deploy their rolling maul to a match-winning extent with the reason for that being the Green Shirts conceded just one penalty that forced a five-metre line-out from which Royal rolled and scored late in the second half.
In reality what Isipathana did was expose Royal to other teams as well who will want to make sure they don’t concede penalties that could take Royal to that feared five-metre line-out rolling maul.
Play-wise Isipathana did not let down their supporters who flocked to Havelock Park in their thousands compared to a few hundreds of Royal supporters.
It was in the last 15 minutes that Isipathana after doing defensive work came out in full bloom to break down Royal with two super special tries as their backline swung into action from midfield.
The first try scored by fly half Naveen Kanishka completely rattled the Royal team when he intelligently spotted an opening in the defence and raced for the try-line under the posts followed by the second try scored by Praveen Stephan off a backline move that originated in the Royal half in the dying moments of the game.
But what really kept Isipathana in the hunt was the three penalties put over by Rinseh Silva after Royal surged into a 10-0 lead at one stage that extended to 15 points in the second half that Isipathana cut down to 9-15.
Royal hooker Danuja Somaratne scored his team’s only try through the rolling maul late in the second half after Kaven Sasanga scored the initial try in the early stages of the first half that was converted by Nabil Yehiya who also knocked over the only penalty in the first half.
By lifting the League title that was taken away from Royal after three seasons, Isipathana now look set to go further and pocket the Knock-Out title which can be as equally gruelling.
Any hopes Royal had of taking the runners-up prize was thwarted by St. Joseph’s College who drubbed Wesley College 26-11 in the last League match that brought down the curtain on Monday at Longden Place.
The Joes had to win with a four-try bonus point which they did through Jehan Athukorale, Chamodh Seneviratne, Naveen Marasinghe and Sachinthana Waidyanatha crossing the line with fly half Dilhara Subash converting three of the tries.
For Wesley, Akeesh Jayamanne scored their solitary try while fly half Shaveen Jayawardena put over two penalties.