From the Jaws of Defeat – Wesley’s Stunner in the Final Minute
August 10, 2025
From the Jaws of Defeat – Wesley’s Stunner in the Final Minute
By Adib Azwer–
The stakes couldn’t have been higher at Havelock Park. The Oliver Goonetilleke Shield was on the line. So was the title of league runners-up for the 2025 Schools Rugby season. The Double Blues came in without powerhouse Kaizer Lye in the starting lineup due to injury, but the belief in Karlsruhe Gardens ran deep. What followed was a spectacle of rugby, tense, fiery, and utterly unpredictable which was decided only in the final seconds.
The Early Onslaught
True to form, Wesley started like a storm. Within minutes, Dilhara Danush nearly crossed the whitewash, but the ball was held up. Twice more they tore into Thomian territory, with the third time proving golden. A surging run from Hamdaan Safraz set the platform, and Prarthana Rodrigo finished the job. Wesley led 5–0.
The Thomians replied instantly. Fullback Akith Cooray sliced through with a clever dummy, and Mayanka Dias added the extras to make it 5–7. But Wesley were in no mood to chase — they wanted control. Crisp handling through the backline put Shifaan Inthikab over, restoring the lead to 10–7. Moments later, a perfectly executed maul sent Pawan Thirangama crashing over. 15–7, and the Double Blues looked in command.
Yet S. Thomas’ weren’t letting the shield slip quietly away. Dias himself darted down the touchline to make it 15–12, keeping the game’s heartbeat racing.
Fire, Frustration, and Flares
Rodrigo nearly ignited the crowd with a barnstorming run from his own half, stopped only inside the Thomian 15m. But the intensity bubbled over when a bout of pushing escalated into a full brawl. Two Wesley men, Fawaz and Dilhara, and Cooray for the Thomians all saw yellow.
With the half ticking down and Wesley still reorganising after the scuffle, S. Thomas’ seized their moment. A quick burst of phases inside the Double Blues’ 22 ended with them crossing for a crucial try in the final play of the half. Dias converted, flipping the scoreline to 15–19 at the break.
The second half began with Wesley still shorthanded, and yet they struck first. Phase after phase of relentless carries ended with Abdul Haadhi diving over and converting his own try. 22–19, Double Blues back in front.
But the back-and-forth madness continued. Avishkha Hiran scored for S. Thomas’, Dias converted, and the lead swung again. Then McKyle Karunaratne crossed to give the Thomians the day’s first double-digit lead at 22–33.
Coach Henry rolled the dice, bringing on an injured Kaizer Lye. It paid off almost immediately. Nelith Hapugalle powered over, Haadhi converted, and Wesley were within four at 29-33. Captain Sandul Gammanpila then bulldozed his way through two tacklers to score from a maul, Haadhi converted, and Wesley were back in front — 36–33 — with the shield in sight.
The Final Twist – A Finish for the Ages
Five minutes left. The scoreboard at Havelock Park read 36–33 Wesley, and the Thomians were hammering on the Double Blues’ door. A penalty inside the Wesley 15m handed them a golden chance. They went for the jugular, driving hard, phase after phase — only to spill it forward under a ferocious tackle. The Wesley fans roared in relief.
But relief was fleeting. The Thomians came again, wave after wave, pounding the blue wall. The crowd’s noise became a single unbroken roar as the phases mounted. And then, with just one minute left, they broke through. The referee raised his arm. TRY.
The stadium held its breath as the TMO reviewed it. A pause. A verdict. Confirmed. 40–36 to S. Thomas’. From the stands to the sidelines, you could feel the air shift, the shield was slipping away.
And then came the moment that would be replayed in memory for years.
Abdul Haadhi’s restart hung in the air like fate itself. Hashim Thabeeth rose above the pack, clutched it, and hit the ground running. Wesley kept the ball alive, each carry greeted with desperate cheers. Every pass, every ruck was life or death. The Thomians threw bodies into tackles, but the Double Blues inched forward, refusing to die.
Haadhi saw daylight and darted through, diving for the line. But did he get it down? Even he didn’t know. The ball spilled backwards into play, and Dilhara Danush snatched it, powering over.
Silence. The referee signaled for the TMO.
The entire ground froze. Players knelt, heads bowed. Supporters clasped hands like it was prayer. On the big screen, angle after angle played, the grounding, the spill, the recovery. The decision felt like it took hours.
Then, at last, the whistle. TRY.
Havelock Park exploded. The Double Blues charged the field, fans pouring from the stands in sheer jubilation. The shield was theirs, wrenched back in the dying breath of the season.
Final score: Wesley 43 – 40 S. Thomas’. The Oliver Goonetilleke Shield returning to Karlsruhe Gardens. The curtain fell on the 2025 season not just with silverware, but with the most dramatic, chaotic, unforgettable finish school rugby had seen in years.
