Twenty Years of Hurt Washed Away: The Double Blues Conquer the Tuskers at Jurassic Park
July 29, 2025
Twenty Years of Hurt Washed Away: The Double Blues Conquer the Tuskers at Jurassic Park
By Adib Azwer–
They say some victories aren’t just won. They’re earned, etched, and endured. For Wesley College, this one was two decades in the making. And when the final whistle blew at Royal Complex Grounds, better known as Jurassic Park. The roar wasn’t just celebration. It was release.
Lightning Start: Rodrigo Strikes Early
From the first whistle, Wesley looked like a team with purpose. Not even sixty seconds in, Prarthana Rodrigo carved open Royal’s defense with a slick line run to touch down. Haadhi added the extras. 7–0. And to rub salt into the Royal wounds, their #10 was binned for a reckless high shot during the play. One minute in, Wesley had already laid down a marker.
It almost got better. Fawaz, donning the cloak of chaos, broke from deep within Wesley’s 22, stepping, swerving, smashing through five defenders in a dazzling run. But the finish went missing, as a penalty spoiled the party inside the red zone. A golden opportunity vanished.
Royal Replies, Wesley Holds
Royal found their reply through classic territory play. A maul try gave them five points, but the conversion drifted wide. 7–5, and the game was back on a knife’s edge.
Momentum wavered again when Wesley’s stand-in captain Abdul Haadhi saw yellow for a dangerous lift. With Sandul Gammanpila unavailable, this was a true leadership test. Wesley’s response? Steel. The Double Blues were forced to defend on their own line, twice, and did so with thunderous tackles and unwavering heart.
Fawaz, again, lit up the field with another blistering run. But for the second time, a try was denied at the final moment by a handling error. That old cliché returned: close, but no cigar.
The rest of the first half was a wrestling match of rugby brilliance. Neither side blinked. At the break: 7–5 to Wesley.
Second Half Fireworks: Blow for Blow
Royal came out firing, much like Wesley had in the first half. A well-constructed team try, topped off with a successful conversion, swung the lead. 12–7 to the Tuskers.
But this Wesley side was different. Composed. Hungry.
They marched back with determination, testing Royal’s line once more. And this time, there was no drop. No knock-on. Nelith Hapugalle bulldozed his way over and Haadhi slotted the two. 14–12. The Wesley faithful found their voice. “Let’s go Wesley” echoed around the stadium like a war cry. The 16th man had truly entered the game.
Moments later, the Blue Wall charged again. A textbook lineout. A rolling maul. But heartbreak — the TMO intervened. Five long minutes. And then, release. Try awarded. 19–12. The tide had truly turned.
Royal’s Grit, Wesley’s Glory
Royal wouldn’t go down easy. Even with their captain carded for a late hit, they clawed their way forward. Pathirana led the charge, and eventually, hooker Imthisal Nazeer powered over. A chance to draw level. One kick. One shot.
The post said no.
Agony for Royal. Relief for Wesley.
But it wasn’t done. A controversial moment followed — Wesley’s Hashim knocked on, but Royal’s #3 followed it up with an illegal shoulder barge. TMO review. Reversal. Penalty to Wesley. It was tense. It was heated. It was chaos.
Wesley pushed again. A knock-on denied them once more. Royal countered. Wesley defended. Every ruck, every tackle, every breath — it all mattered.
And then came the break. Another penalty. Last play. Haadhi could’ve ended it with a tap and boot to touch. But he chose courage over comfort. He went for the bonus. The move failed at first. But with every meter gained, belief surged. And finally, Nelith Hapugalle crashed over once more.
24–17. Cue the invasion. Blue shirts flooded the pitch. Tears, chants, and history.
The Wait is Over
Twenty years. That’s how long it’s been since Wesley last toppled Royal at the Jurassic Park. But streaks don’t survive when belief is bigger than pressure.
On this day, Wesley didn’t just play rugby. They wrote a legacy.
