Wesley Outclass Antonians in Rain-Soaked Clash
June 23, 2025
Wesley Outclass Antonians in Rain-Soaked Clash
By Akhlaq Gazzali –
The rain didn’t stop the crowd from gathering in Kandy as St Anthony’s College chased their first win of the season. Facing them was an unbeaten Wesley side that had no intention of easing off the gas. In the end, it was Wesley who walked away with a dominant bonus-point victory, leaving the home supporters disappointed but still proud of their team’s fight.
Right from kick-off, things started on an odd note. The Antonians made an early error by touching the ball before it crossed ten metres, giving Wesley the early edge. Both sides struggled to find rhythm in the slippery conditions, with handling errors and messy phases slowing down the tempo. It wasn’t until the 14th minute that the scoreboard finally lit up. Wesley, building from a driving maul, earned a penalty five metres out. While the Antonians were still regrouping, Mohommad Fawaz spotted a gap, tapped quickly and darted over the line to score the opening try.
St Anthony’s responded with determination. Deshan Liyanage fired an incredible kick to touch from deep within their own half, covering nearly 60 metres. The territory gained helped them win a penalty, and Kalpa Lakmina made no mistake with the kick, narrowing the gap to two points. Liyanage wasn’t done yet, delivering a brilliant 50–22 soon after, setting up a golden opportunity close to the Wesley line. The Antonians powered forward, but the ball was held up in-goal, another chance gone begging.
That was the story of their evening. Despite long spells of pressure, they couldn’t turn their effort into points. Wesley, on the other hand, made the most of every opening. As the first half drew to a close, hooker Keshara Rahul powered his way over after a well-worked maul. Fullback Abdul Haadhi added the conversion with ease, stretching Wesley’s lead just before the break.
The second half began with Wesley in control, but the Antonians were still in the fight. Then came a moment of magic. After a flowing move from the forwards, the ball was spread out wide and Prarthana Rodrego sprinted down the left flank to score Wesley’s third try. Haadhi, once again, slotted a difficult conversion to pile on the pressure.
Wesley continued to control proceedings. From a five-metre lineout, they launched another maul, and this time it was their captain Sandul Gammanpila who crashed over for the bonus-point try. The conversion drifted wide, but the damage was done. There was a brief moment of concern for Wesley when Keshara Rahul was sent to the sin bin for a dangerous tackle. The Antonians tried to capitalise, with their scrum-half attempting a clever show-and-go, but it was shut down just as quickly by Nelith Hapugala, who ripped the ball and dashed their hopes once more.
St Anthony’s had their moments. Their forwards put in a solid shift, and their set pieces were well executed. But they just couldn’t finish. Even when Wesley were down to 14, they failed to take advantage, wasting precious time and territory. In the closing stages, both sides fought tooth and nail, but no further points were added. The final effort from St Anthony’s came from a driving maul near the clubhouse, but Wesley held firm once again and came away with the ball. Game over.
Wesley’s performance was clinical. They didn’t dominate possession, but they were efficient, composed, and ruthless when it mattered. For St Anthony’s, there were signs of improvement. They showed fight, spirit and flashes of quality. With fewer errors and more discipline, this side could still turn their season around. But on this rainy day in Kandy, it was Wesley who were simply a class above.
Full Time: Wesley College 24 (4T, 2C) – St. Anthony’s College 03 (1P)
Player of the Match went to Abdul Haadhi, whose calm presence and crucial kicks made all the difference.
