considering the lofty levels they normally aspire to in the sport.
The loss that Isipathana faithful will take some years to erase from their memory or even digest, would be the one suffered to Royal from having led 24-3 at half-time and then conspiring to go down on the stroke of full-time 34-31 on 9 August.
It was a classic case of a team dominating the contest before the interval, then taking their foot off the gas and opting to take the opposition for granted in the second-half-a cardinal sin in team sports and they ultimately stood to regret it big time.
A rugby analyst stated that a weak bench coupled with their inability to play what was in front of them in the Cup segment had sealed Isipathana’s fate by and large.
He observed that the Greens inability to react to game situations also had put paid to their chances to keep most of their opponents at bay, and questioned – despite the presence of some talented players in their ranks – whether they had clicked as a team in the final analysis.
He added that there were also aspects of fitness levels of certain players not being up to scratch as the season wore on.
He mentioned it as an area that needs to be seriously looked at as to what substances players tend to consume both before, during and after matches, and stressed it should not be solely applied to one school but all teams alike.
Attempts made by The Daily Morning Sports to seek the views of Isipathana head coach Dhanushka Botheju and its Rugby Committee Chair Kamal Mahendra, on the team’s dismal showing in the concluded season proved futile.
By – The Morning