COLOMBO, Sri Lanka, August 1, 2025 (ePRESS) – St Anthony’s College Katugastota produced their best performance of the season to overpower Thurstan College Colombo 40-7 and clinch the Bowl Championship in the Dialog Schools Rugby League 2025, played at the Sugathadasa Stadium, in Colombo on Friday.
The Katugastota lads led 21-7 at half-time and maintained their dominance throughout the match, sealing their fourth consecutive win in the Bowl segment with a show of fast, open rugby and clinical finishing.
After a challenging League campaign that relegated them to the Bowl segment, the Antonians bounced back in style, playing with renewed confidence, aggression, and teamwork.
It was the burly second-row forward Dinuda Jayasundara who opened the scoring early, barging through the Thurstan defence in the third minute. Fullback Kalpa Lakmina, one of the tournament’s top points scorers, added the conversion as St Anthony’s went 7-0 up.
In the 12th minute, number eight and deputy skipper Ravindu Gregory powered over after a driving maul near the posts, scoring his second try in two weeks. Lakmina was once again accurate with the boot to stretch the lead to 14-0.
Thurstan hit back in the 23rd minute through their leading try-scorer Sithija Jayathilaka, who touched down under the posts for his 13th try of the season. The conversion was successful, bringing the score to 14-7 and giving Thurstan hope.
However, St Anthony’s quickly reasserted control. In the 30th minute, skipper and scrum-half Omitha Dissanayake sniped through a ruck to score, and Lakmina converted to give the visitors a commanding 21-7 lead at the break.
The second half saw no let-up from the Antonians.
Ten minutes into the restart, they had already stretched their lead to 33-7. The tries kept coming, and it was centre Randeer Perera who showed his pace and footwork, slicing through on the right wing to touch down under the posts. Lakmina, ever-reliable, added the extras to push the score to 40-7 by the 55th minute.
Thurstan were unable to find answers to the Antonians’ relentless attack and well-organised defence.
As the final whistle blew, the team from Katugastota celebrated a richly deserved Bowl Championship title. From their early setbacks in the League stage, they had risen with four back-to-back wins to end the season on a high.
Final Score: St Anthony’s College 40 (5 goals, 1 try)
Thurstan College 7 (1 goal)
Referee: Tharindu Perera
St. Anthony’s Number Eight Akesh Sampath attempts to evade a Thurstan defender. Picture courtesy The Papare
