• Sir Oliver returns to Campbell Park

Wesley College defeated S. Thomas’ College 43-38 in their final inter-school rugby league match at Havelock Park yesterday (9) to win the Sir Oliver Goonetilleke Shield after a six-year wait. 

The victory also secured Wesley the League Runners-Up position for the first time in 23 years. 

The previous time Wesley achieved this was in 2003, under the captaincy of Kasun de Silva.

The match began with a quick try from Wesley’s Prarthana Rodrigo within the first 10 minutes. S. Thomas’ responded with a brilliant individual effort from their fullback, taking a 7-5 lead. 

Wesley quickly hit back with a try from Shifan Inthikab, followed by another from a strong driving maul try. Abdul Haadhi missed all three conversions, as the team coached by Henry Terence prioritised playing fast-paced rugby to earn a crucial bonus point.

S. Thomas’ Mayanka Dias scored a try to narrow the deficit. The game was then halted for an extended period, resulting in two Wesley players and one Thomian receiving yellow cards for unruly behaviour. 

Dias struck again with a superb kick-and-chase try. Wesley, however, lost several scoring opportunities due to frequent knock-ons.

First half: STC 19-15 WCC

Wesley’s deputy skipper Haadhi scored and converted his own try to begin the second half, securing the bonus point. S. Thomas’ responded with back-to-back converted tries to regain the lead. 

The intensity of the match soared as Wesley scored two consecutive converted tries to once again take the lead. The Thomians showed the mettle of their famed grit and fought back to take the lead again.

In the final moments of the game, Haadhi initiated a tap and go, setting up Danush Dassanayake to score the winning try. This final play sealed the historic Runners-Up glory for the ‘Double Blues’ after the glorious team of 2003 led by Sri Lanka and Kandy SC flanker Kasun de Silva.

A historic note

Notably, the fathers (Asanka Gammanpila and Abdus Sameeul Aleem) of Wesley’s Captain Sandul Gammanpila and Vice Captain Abdul Haadhi were members of Wesley’s first-ever League Runners-Up team in 1997 led by Anupama Wadugodapitiya.

Full-time: Wesley 43 beat S. Thomas’ 38