By Brian Thomas and Christopher Jordashe| Reporting exclusively for SriLankaSports.com
Royal College notched their third successive win with a convincing 33–14 victory over St. Joseph’s College, who, despite their struggles, managed to cross the whitewash in both halves.
The game began dramatically, with Royal striking in the opening minute. A misjudged bounce by the Josephian receiver—an unforgivable error in a high-stakes game—handed Royal a bonus try right off the kick-off. It was a psychological blow from which the Josephians never fully recovered.
Royal, sensing vulnerability, applied immediate pressure. They built attacking phases effectively, pushing deep into Josephian territory before spreading the ball wide to the left flank. Their second try followed soon after and was clinically converted, giving the home side a 12–0 lead by the 14th minute.
What was most concerning for the Josephian camp was their underutilization of their heavy forwards—especially at the breakdowns and in pick-and-go situations. Their mistakes were frequent and costly, allowing Royal to camp in their half and score a third try via another forward-driven pick-and-go move.
Royal’s forwards asserted dominance early, and their backs followed suit. With a comfortable lead established, the Reid Avenue boys allowed the Josephians some possession, and the visitors began to look dangerous when they managed to hold onto the ball. Despite a series of dropped passes, they finally breached the Royal defense with a well-coordinated forward effort to get on the scoreboard.
At halftime, Royal led 19–7.
The second half showcased Royal’s consistency, particularly their use of the three-quarter line. They repeatedly targeted the left flank, a strategy that paid dividends. Two more converted tries followed, the second of which was initiated by scrum-half Pathirana, who had a standout performance. He sliced through the defense and sent his winger over the line, with Farook adding the extras.
Though Royal leaked a second try in the latter stages, they never looked in danger. Their superior structure and discipline carried them to a well-earned 33–14 win, keeping them unbeaten and firmly atop Group 3.
Royal now appear destined for the Super Sixes, while their arch-rivals Trinity face a must-win clash against St. Joseph’s this week if they hope to join the Reid Avenue boys in the Cup segment.
Stay tuned for our coverage of the Wesley vs. St. Anthony’s clash at Nittawela, followed by our rugby round-up featuring Peterites vs. Science, the Thomians’ grit against Mahanama, Kingswood’s surprise performance against Zahira Maradana, and a peek at developments in Pallekele.
Once today’s results between Isipathana and DS vs. Ananda conclude, we’ll unveil the Team of the Week—curated by Christopher Jordashe.
Be the first to comment