St. Joseph’s College produced a thrilling late comeback to edge St. Anthony’s College Kandy 23-20 in a pulsating Dialog Schools Rugby League clash at Longdon Place on Friday.
In a contest that swung back and forth throughout the afternoon, the Antonians looked poised to claim a valuable away victory after matching the Josephians score for score and taking the game deep into the closing stages.
However, the Maradana outfit refused to surrender. With time almost expired, St. Joseph’s launched one final attack and were rewarded when the decisive kick sailed through the posts, sealing a dramatic three-point victory and sending the Josephian supporters into celebration.
The victory carried added significance as St. Joseph’s also secured a valuable bonus point after crossing for four tries during the encounter, strengthening their early position in the 2026 Schools Rugby League standings.
For St. Anthony’s, the narrow defeat will be particularly painful after a spirited performance that pushed one of the competition’s title contenders all the way to the final whistle. Despite leaving empty-handed, the Kandy school showed enough quality to suggest they will remain a dangerous side as the season progresses.
Final Score: St. Joseph’s College 23 – 20 St. Anthony’s College Kandy.
