St. Peters pull off thrilling 6-3 win over Isipathana in Sri Lanka schools rugby final. – By Trevine Rodrigo.
St. Peters College Bambalalitiya crowned themselves in glory beating arch rivals Isipathana 6-3 after a relentless onfield battle in the final of a hectic league Rugby Union competition at Havelock Park recently.
Both the Peterites and the Isipathanians separated in two groups, remained unbeaten and dominant over the rest.
So the meeting in the final promised a fiercely contested game which it lived upto.
A heavy downpour made ball handling difficult in wet and slippery conditions. Both teams gave it their all but the defences stood fast and it ultimately ended with the winner emerging through the boot of the place kickers. The Peterites kicked two to Issipathana’s solitary success making it a worthy final watched by a capacity crowd despite the inclement weather and waterlogged ground conditions.
In an interview with The Morning newspaper, St. Peter’s head coach Sanath Martis credited his team’s Schools League success to collective teamwork, downplaying personal accolades after their narrow 6-3 victory over Isipathana in the title-decider at Havelock Park.
Martis emphasized that the team’s unbeaten 24-month run was a result of the players’ dedication and resilience on the field, especially under challenging conditions during the final match.
Martis highlighted the leadership of captain Dulaj Navodya and the contributions of senior players like Aiden Fernando, Sajith Gallage, Rahul Peter, Yumith Shihara, and Vishenka Silva, the league’s top try-scorer with 16 touchdowns. The Peterites’ strong defense, which conceded only 86 points in nine matches, was also key to their success.
Looking ahead, Martis confidently stated that St. Peter’s is aiming for a treble, having already won the sevens title
