Peterites clinch Sevens Cup Championship
The Royal College rugby team was voted-in as the most popular rugby team at the inaugural Dialog Schools Rugby 7s 2021. Rajindu Jayasuriya, skipper of the Royal College rugby team is holding the Dialog Schools Rugby 7s Most Popular Team – Western Province Division A award. Also, in photo (From Left) Nirodha Wijerama – Secretary, SLSRFA, B.A. Abeyratne, President, SLSRFA, Amali Nanayakkara, Group Chief Marketing Officer, Dialog Axiata PLC, Manahara Wijeyawickrama, SGM – Channel Planning & Control and CVM, Dialog Axiata PLC, Damitha Perera, Treasurer, SLSRFA.
St. Peter’s College, Colombo, added another Sevens trophy to their fully packed shelves, when they clinched the Western Province Inter-School Rugby Sevens Cup Championship, beating S. Thomas’ College, Mount Lavinia, by 19 points (3 tries, 2 conversions) to 17 (3 tries, 1 conversion) in the final played at the Royal College Sports Complex in Colombo, yesterday. St. Peter’s was leading 14-12 at halftime.
S.Thomas’ opened the scoring and went into a 7-nil lead through N.M.M. Perera, which was converted by Perera himself. Soon after, Thomian skipper cum centre Hettiarachchi touched down for an unconverted try to extend their lead to 12-nil.
St. Peter’s opened the scoring immediately and cut down the lead to 12-7 with a converted try scored by Chathumina. They increased the lead further and went into a 14-12 lead for the first time in the game through a try scored by D.E.T. Ranasinghe off a beautiful three-quarter move. St. Peter’s stood smart at halftime leading 14-12.
After the resumption, off a sweeping three-quarter move, St. Peter’s fly-half Sudesh Jayawickrama (Younger brother of 2016 Peterite fly-half and captain Sandesh Jayawickrama) gave an exceptional backhand pass to winger Ishan Fernando (Younger brother of 2017 Peterite captain cum winger Diyath Fernando), who darted down through the right corner flag, covering nearly 70 metres and dived over for a brilliant try far right. St. Peter’s missed the conversion, but went into a further lead of 19 points to 12.
Just before the final whistle, S. Thomas’ cut down the lead to 19-17 with a try scored by winger A. Perera near the corner flag, but N.M.M. Perera missed the difficult corner flag conversion.
Finally, St. Peter’s College was crowned the Western Province Inter-Club Rugby Sevens Cup Champions for the 2021/22 season. Referee Praneeth Weranga did a fine job with the whistle.
In the Cup Semi-Finals, St. Peter’s edged out D.S. Senanayake 19-14, while S. Thomas’ stunned Royal College by 21-12.
Cup Finals: St. Peter’s beat S.Thomas 19-17
Plate Finals: D.S. Senanayake beat Royal Colombo 21-5
Bowl Finals: Wesley beat Science 19-07
Shield Finals: Isipatha beat Thurstan 39-00
Best Player Of The Tournament: N.M.M.Perera (S. Thomas)
Most Popular School Team: Royal College Colombo
St. Peter’s College emerged Cup Champs of the inaugural Dialog Schools Rugby 7s, Western Province Division A Tourney, by beating S. Thomas’ College. Ishan Fernando, captain of St. Peter’s holding the Cup Championship with his team mates and coaching staff. Also, in photo (From Left) Nirodha Wijerama – Secretary, SLSRFA, B.A. Abeyratne, President, SLSRFA, Amali Nanayakkara, Group Chief Marketing Officer, Dialog Axiata PLC, Manahara Wijeyawickrama, SGM – Channel Planning & Control and CVM, Dialog Axiata PLC, Damitha Perera, Treasurer, SLSRFA.