S.Thomas’ College and Isipathana College will lock horns in a crucial Division 1 Segment A Group 1 match of the inter school under 19 league rugby tournament scheduled for June 24 (Saturday) at Mount Lavinia.
Both teams were victorious in their first outings this season; the Thomians beating Wesley 19-13 and the Green Shirts scoring a runaway 32-8 win against Kingswood at Bogambara Stadium.These two schools have produced top drawer rugby whenever they meet and Saturday’s game would be so decisive for Isipathana because they already top the points table in their group.
Naveen Kanishka will be the man to watch as he knows just what to do for his team Isipathana when the pressure mounts or when he realizes that he has to lead with example and show how to cross the opponent’s goal line. He did this in the last outing and came in for praise for studying the wet pitch and kicking to corners of the pitch at Bogambara where the rain had least soiled the surface. What’s remarkable is the school finding good enough replacements for the seven seniors who bid adieu to this academic institution after being part of an outfit that had a glorious unbeaten run last season. Coach Saliya Kumara will take match by match and has said that he values every player in the squad.
The Thomians on the other hand showed that they were very much in the game last week against Wesley; even though the game was close and both sides gave away yellow cards at crucial junctures of the game. Kicker and fly half Yehan Bulathsinhalage was an asset with his kicking skills and also fed the three quarters at every given opportunity. Going by how they played last week the Thomians seem to be banking heavily on their forwards to deliver this season. The team is coached for the second year by former Sri Lanka player Shamly Nawaz who also knows the intricacies of how the Green Jerseys play this game when the stakes are high being a former Isipathana player himself. We remember him captaining his school in 1998 and scoring over 20 tries the season before that (1997)when he played in that undefeated triple champion winning Isipathana side led by Vajira Hewage. The Thomians retaining him for another season means Nawaz has delivered and done the ground work to help bring back Thomian rugby to that prestine level it enjoyed in the 1990s.
In the other matches scheduled for Saturday St. Anthony’s play D.S Senanayake at Pallakele, Wesley scrum down with Joes at Royal Sports Complex, Dharmaraja play against Zahira at Bogambara and Science host Royal at their own grounds at Mount Lavinia
On Sunday (June 25), Vidyartha host Trinity at Bogambara Stadium .
The Isipathana rugby pool: S.Senarathne, Kenula Mhisara, S.Arawagoda, Shakib Zumri, N.Thahir, C.Iroshan, G.Maneth, Nisaja Jayaweera, Shehandu de Costa, Naveen Kanishka, Shahid Zumri, T.Ranawera, Rinesh Silva, H.Randimal, Kalindu Silva, D.Hansidu, L.Mapitigama, Chamindu Chirath, M.Devan, A.Azeez, M.Ransaja
S.Thomas’ College rugby pool M.Fernando, J.Perera, N.Goonawandene, S.Wanigasooriya, S.Udugama, R.Dwight, R.Fernando, Shehan Fernando, R.Rathnayake, M.Perera, Yehan Bulathsinhalage, Viyaan De Silva (Captain), H.De Silva, D.Nawarathne, A.Cooray, P. Kasthuriarachchi, D.Daniel, T.Gamalatge,D.Senarthne, M.Perera, J.Martynstyn, A.Riffal, S. Kulathunga.
By – The Island