Isipathana overcome error ridden St. Joseph’s

Action from the Dialog Schools Rugby encounter between Isipathana and 
St. Joseph’s played at Havelock Park yesterday
Pic by Kushan Pathiraja

By M. Shamil Amit  

Isipathana continued their unbeaten runwith a close 16 points to 13 win over St. Joseph’s in the Super Round encounter of the Dialog Schools Rugby tournament played at Havelock Park yesterday.

Isipathana having taken a slender 7-0 lead at the breather made up their points through a goal and three penalties to a goal and two penalties scored by St. Joseph’s in sealing a sixth successive win this season. 

Although solid in defence, St. Joseph’s paid dearly for a series of mistakes at crucial stages in their own half, which Isipathana cleverly turned into points kicking with precision over the cross bar. St. Joseph’s looked clearly hampered by the double blow of losing their fly half and the full back early in the game due to injuries. 
Isipathana did the first scoring through a try by prop forward Kenula Hettiarachchi with Rishen Silva adding the extra points. From there on the Pathans was in the attack for most part of the session but failed to take advantage of the efforts put in by their forwards.

The resumption saw the continuity of the same style of play with Isipathana failing to convert possession into points pegged by the Josephian defence. A penalty by wing three quarter Rinesh Silva in the third minute extended the lead to 10 - 00. 

A period of slumber followed a Josephian counter attack which was rewarded with replacement centre Ruchitha Rodrigo booting over a penalty with ease.

The scoring seemed to be turning out through penalties as the two sides got the scoreboard moving, first with Isipathana’s Rinesh Silva and followed by Ruchitha Rodrigo only to see another by Rishen Silva take Isipathana to a 16 - 06 lead.

The Josephians undeterred in a do or die battle gave the Pathans some torrid moments and succeeded to breach the defence with burly number eight Naveen Marasinghe going over for a try which was converted by Ruchitha Rodrigo as the lead narrowed down to three points. 

In the dying stages of the game Isipathana had a penalty going astray.

Isipathana will now meet Royal in the second Super Round match on August 14, which in effect will be the decider of the Dialog Schools Rugby title.

Referee – Gihan Yatawara