Isipathana College fresh from winning the President’s Trophy Knockout Championship, continued their brilliant form this season under the able guidance of top Head Coach Dhanushka Botheju in winning their opening Dialog Schools ‘A’ Division League Rugby Tournament game against newcomers Mahanama College Kollupitiya by 34 points (three goals, two tries, one penalty) to 19 (two goals, one try) in a thrilling match played at Havelock Park yesterday having led 14-12 at half time.
It took the last 20 minutes for the experienced green machine as the famous school from Havelock Park got going unleashing attacking play after that brief first half let off.
In the fifth minute skipper Thinethra Dodangoda touched down for their first try. Thenula de Costa’s plumb conversion gave Pathana a 7-0 lead.
The next scoring move off a rolling maul by the Pathana forwards saw Thanura Vitharana barge over for the second try in the 9th minute with De Costa again making no mistake as Pathana led 14-0.
It was a brave effort by debutants Mahanama in A Division rugby in giving the top schools’ team Isipathana a fight as N Hapuhinna created a fine opening for skipper K. Kannangara to score near the left corner flag in the 21st minute. S Ratnayake converted to make it 14-7.
Mahanama carried the fight with fullback M Dhanula scorung an unconverted try in the same corner after sustained from the first and it was costly missing the conversion as the scores read 14-12.
Mahanama went on to imoress by a brilliant run by N. Hapuhinna who evaded the Pathana defence to score near the mid-left. Ratnayake converted as Mahanama took the lead 19-14.
However, a yellow card to Mahanama’s number eight in the 45th minute shifted the momentum. Pathana’s Thenula de Costa made no mistake with a 20-metre penalty in the 48th minute, reducing the margin to 19-17.
From then on, it was all Pathana. In the 57th minute, towering second-rower Nevith Mewnaka powered over the line. Although the conversion missed, Isipathana regained the lead at 22-19.
Four minutes later, a fast sequence of passes involving Sithupa Bometh, number eight Shaakib Zumri, and skipper Dodangoda putting finishing touches, saw Pathana score their bonus-point try, extending the advantage to 27-19.
In the 69th minute, another yellow card to a Mahanama suffered he setback of losing second-rower by a yellow carding reduced to 14 men.
Pathana from that point missed a penalty, but prevailed with a final minute scoring the green machine is so reuted of as they did in the knockout final against Trinity. Then it was Kodithuwaku. Yesterday it was a brilliant piece of work by hooker Kaveen Jayasinghe who completed a great move to touch down with Nimantha Sandeepa converting for a really hard fought 34-19 triumph.
Mahanama College ruggerites tough waked out proud of a gallant bunch in their maiden A division appearance in a contest of rib bruising rugby fare.