Wesley College clinched the Under-14 10-a-side Inter-School Rugby Championship after beating St. Anthony’s College, Kandy 10-7 in the final played at St. Anne’s Grounds, Kurunegala last Friday (30 December 2022).
In the final, Wesley started off strongly in the first half, scoring two quick tries through Ayaan Hussai and Dinaru Dhamyuth. The boys from the hill capital struggled to get the ball moving from their own half as they went into lemons without any points on the board.
However, it was St. Anthony’s College that bounced back in the second half with an early converted try to reduce the gap. Despite having the momentum on their side, the Anthonians failed to cross the whitewash, again allowing the Double Blues to hold on to their lead and take the win.
Wesley College last won this tournament in 2000, thus making this victory a memorable one for the juniors and the school.
The Double Blues deserved the triumph, as they completely dominated all their games from the beginning. In first-round Cup matches, Wesley thrashed Dharmapala College 55-0, Carey College 26-0, and Mahanama College 12-5 before making it to the knockouts.
In the quarterfinals, they gunned down Dharmaraja College, Kandy 26-0. In the semifinals, they held strong against Royal College to take the win by 7-0. St. Anthony’s College, too, found it fairly easy to find their spot in the finals and they beat the formidable Isipathana College in the semifinal to book their place.
Zahira College, Colombo won the Plate, while Mahanama won the Bowl, and Sri Sumangala, Kandy won the Shield. Wesley College Skipper and fly-half Shifaan Inthikab was adjudged Player of the Final.
The Wesley College team
Shifaan Inthikab (C), Senuth Dilnada, Ronnav Rukshit, Ehren Ali, Manuga Jayaweera, Liam Onasiz, Hivin Uthmika, Mahir Packeerally, Ayan Hussain, Ahyan Johar, Dinaru Dhahamyuth, Nepul Kularathna, Raashid Asif, Sharfaan Mohammed, Akesh Ryan, Jonathan Wijayasinghe Vidu Perera, Yoosuf Rushan, Nikith Shenool, Ihsaan Faleel, and Randeera de Silva (Coach).