- Wesley and STC yet in the hunt
Trinity College, Kandy proved for the umpteenth time that they are the team to beat in the ongoing Dialog Schools League rugby tournament, by imperiously swatting aside Isipathana College 32-10, in their Cup segment clash at Pallekele last Saturday (26).
The ‘Lions’ (18 points) proved that they were peerless in the 2025 inter-school rugby arena, by accounting for the ‘Green Machine’ for the first time at home since 2017, and with a clinical performance that befits their tag of being odds-on-favourites for the title.
Inform fly-half Shan Althaf with a personal tally of 17 points, was the toast of the home team, as their forwards and backs clicked into gear from the kick off, to deliver the sucker punch to the dazed visitors.
For the Usman Safraz team, flankers Hamza Abdeen, Nisith Kumarasinghe, half-back Udan Wijekoon, right-wing Minula Yaddehige and Abdul Malik, impressed in both attack and defence.
Isipathana who entered the contest with high hopes of denting the ‘Lions’ winning run, certainly did no favours when their outstanding No. 8 Shakib Zumri, ever so dangerously tip tackled the Trinity skipper.
The incident which arose only six minutes into the second-half, prompted referee Ishanka Abeykoon to send off the Isipathana backrower, and that basically sealed the plight for the Greens, who were reduced to 14 men for the remainder of the game.
The loose forward obviously had a brain fade moment and it ultimately cost the Havelock Town lads big time, as Trinity romped to a bonus point triumph and now are within touching distance of the League title.
With only Wesley and St. Peter’s respectively to come calling during the next fortnight, the ‘Lions’ can guarantee themselves of League glory for the first time since 1987, with a bonus point victory over Wesley at Pallekele on 2 August.
That means Fazil Marija’s squad could even come unstuck in their final fixture against defending champions St. Peter’s, and still lift the Cup title, as their points differential is far superior to any of their opponents.
Meanwhile, Wesley placed second (12 points) in the Cup segment, and will come out with all guns blazing to get the better of Trinity in the coming weekend, after they themselves prevailed over Royal 24-17 for the first time in 20 years, at Royal Sports Complex last week.
The lads from Campbell Park still have an outside chance to win the title, but will need Trinity to lose both of their games for it to materialise, which in anyone’s book could be wishful thinking, considering the current roaring form of the ‘Lions’.
Meanwhile, S. Thomas’ placed third (12 points) came out with all stops to deny St. Peter’s a near certain win at the death, as the former pulled off a last-gasp 28-26 win, to retain the Archibald Pereira Trophy at Mount Lavinia last week.
The Thomians by virtue of that narrow win, are also yet in the reckoning for League glory, but for that to happen they will not only need to see off both traditional rivals Royal and Wesley, and also hope for other results to go in their favour as well.
Royal, Isipathana and St. Peter’s, who are placed fourth, fifth and sixth respectively, in the Cup category of the points table, are making up the numbers, as they are unlikely to seriously dash the championship aspirations of the top three teams.