Kingswood clinch under 20 Rugby Sevens Title

Chris DHAMBARAGE

Kingswood College, Kandy drew first blood in the new inter-school rugby season when they clinched the Cup championship with a close 26 points to 17 victory over their home town rivals Trinity College in the all island under 20 seven a side tournament concluded at the Royal College Sports Complex in Reid Avenue yesterday.

This tournament which was the curtain raiser for the 2009 inter-school rugby season was conducted by the Sri Lanka Schools Rugby Football Association (SLSRFA) and sponsored by Y FM.

Kingswood College were trailing 7-12 at half time but came back into the game strongly during the second half and scored two last minute tries to turn the final in their favour. They were facing defeat at one stage with the Trinitians making an excellent start that put them in font after the first ten minutes of the final.

However in a dramatic turn of events Kingswood College bounced back with an improved performance to cross their opponent’s goal line on three occasions with two of those tries coming during the last couple of minutes.

Kingswood College also had the credit of defeating the pre-tournament favourites Isipatana College by 24 points to 10 in a closely contested semifinal encounter.

The winners who led 12-5 at half time collected their points from two goals and two tries against their opponent’s two tries. Defending Champions Isipatana College had earlier showed great promise having defeated the giant killers St. Joseph’s College by 25 points to 14 after leading 15-14 at half time.

They launched their campaign in style with two rousing victories over Siri Piyaratne MV (38 nil) and St. John’s College Nugegoda (49 nil). In contrast Trinity College cruised to a convincing 21 points to 12 points victory over Prince of Wales College in the other semifinal fixture. The winners who led 12 nil at half time collected their points from three superb goals while conceding a goal and a try to their opponents.

The Cambrians made it to the last eight following an easy victory over C. W. W. Kannangara MMV having earlier topped their Group F in which they recorded two morale boosting victories against Science College and Lalith Athulathmudali MV respectively.

C. W. W. Kannangara MMV of course had the credit of creating a major upset where they knocked out the more fancied Thurstan College team by 12 points to 7 in an exciting contest. They followed up this with another good victory over Asoka MV that put them on top of Group E and a place in the Cup championship quarterfinals. The Trinitians had started the tournament in the most spectacular manner where they notched up the highest score of the tournament while outplaying Carey College by 54 points to nil in a preliminary round fixture.

Trinity College followed up this massive score with another smashing 31 points to 7 win over Maliyadeva to head Group G with maximum points. They went on to reach the last eight with a convincing victory over the last year’s runners up Ananda College.

Kingswood College also made a clean sweep in Group D and did not concede a try to their opponents where they trounced S. Thomas’ College, Bandarawela by 52 points to nil and Lumbini MV by 40 points to nil before overcoming Dharmaraja College in the quarterfinals. Meanwhile Nalanda College annexed the Plate championship defeating Maliyadeva College Kurunegala by 29 points to 9 in the final and Carey College had the better of St. Aloysius College Galle 19-7 in the Bowl championship final.