By Callistus Davy
Dark horse Wesley College threw open the race at the ongoing inter-school league rugby showpiece as they became the first team to blow away the defending champions St. Peter’s College with a superlative performance, winning their group match 23-5 at Havelock Park on Saturday.
Contrary to all expectations, there was only one team that played throughout the match as the challenger made the champion play second fiddle. Wesley, by their performance, forced all other hot favourites in the fray to think twice about laying their hands on the trophy.
Wesley did everything right on the day, and their performance was of champion stuff. Their scrummaging and line-out ball winning was poetry in motion, and their defence was not just rock solid but one that left the Peterites in total tatters.
The depths to which the Peterites crumbled were a complete letdown to their supporters, many of whom acknowledged after the match that Wesley played to a winning formula and deserved all the accolades reserved for a champion team.
Wesley’s flawless and professional display in front of a packed crowd may, in fact, have given the Peterite think-tanks plenty of reason to put their house in order if they are serious enough instead of sweeping the shortcomings under the carpet.
Peterite captain Vishenka Silva, a brilliant individual last year, was found wanting in every aspect of leadership against the disciplined and powerful Wesleyites who never allowed him to run more than a few metres.
He was completely a marked opponent more like a spent force on the day, unable to take off like a rugby athlete and was crash-tackled to the ground on many occasions.
Wesley, in the process, exposed the Peterites to further scrutiny by other heavyweight teams—Isipathana, Royal, and Trinity still in the running for the title.
Vishenka’s attempts to influence the assistant referee during a confrontation involving two Wesley backline players also did not materialize to his liking.
With a captain losing focus and direction and displaying very little leadership in tense situations, the Peterites eventually found themselves having to overcome the tragic embarrassment of a zero score against their name. Much to the relief of their dejected supporters, they scored their only points just five minutes before the end through a pushover try.
Wesley’s stunning showing, on the other hand, will undoubtedly be discussed and debated by the experts in the ensuing days and weeks.
