A home ground at last? Henry Pedris Stadium returns to Isipathana rugby

This is the news every Isipathanian has been waiting to hear for decades. Henry Pedris Stadium in Havelock Town is coming home to Isipathana College.

Minister of Sports, Youth Affairs, Lands, and Tourism, Harin Fernando, has secured Cabinet approval to hand over the Henry Pedris Grounds to Isipathana College. Starting next year, the college will use the grounds for practices and to host home matches. For a rugby programme that has produced champions, national players, and some of the most iconic moments in schools rugby history, having a dedicated home venue changes everything.

A ground steeped in Isipathana rugby history

Henry Pedris Stadium is not unfamiliar territory for the Green Machine. In the late 1980s, the ground hosted some memorable rugby encounters. Older Isipathanians will recall the famous 15-0 demolition of Trinity College there in 1988, a performance that showcased everything this college stands for on the rugby field.

But the ground fell silent after 1989. During the civil unrest that gripped the country, Henry Pedris was repurposed as a detention camp. Rugby never returned. For over three decades, a ground that once echoed with the roar of school rugby supporters sat unused for the sport. In more recent times, it has been used solely for soccer matches.

That silence ends now.

A dream decades in the making

This is not something that happened overnight. Generations of Isipathana students, old boys, and supporters have advocated for a dedicated rugby ground. It has been a conversation at every alumni gathering, a wish expressed in every ICOIC discussion, and a dream that at times felt like it might never come true.

As one Isipathana rugby alumnus put it, “This fulfils a long-standing dream. We have advocated for this for decades, and Minister Fernando’s leadership has made it a reality. We are grateful for his dedication and perseverance.”

The credit for turning that dream into reality belongs to Minister Harin Fernando. His initiative in championing this cause through Cabinet and seeing it through to approval deserves the gratitude of every member of the Isipathana family.

What this means for the future

Having a home ground is about more than just convenience. It gives the rugby programme a base to build from. It gives the players a place they can call their own, where they train, prepare, and take the field with the pride of knowing they are playing on Isipathana soil. It gives the supporters a place to gather and rally behind the boys in green every match day.

For a college that has consistently punched above its weight on borrowed grounds and shared venues, imagine what becomes possible with a home to call their own.

Henry Pedris Stadium is about to come alive with the sound of Isipathana rugby once again. The ICOIC family could not be prouder.