Will Antonians make it seven in a row?
 

Kandy Sports Corr.

Power packed rugby is in store when the traditional rivals unbeaten to date St. Anthony's College take on Trinity College in an inter school rugby match to be played at Nittawela this Saturday, September 3 at 5.00 p.m.

This match is worth to see as both teams are well balanced as the Antonians are with an unbeaten record conquered all opponents in style and are on their way to the Division one Group 'B' title.

The Trinitians though playing in Division one Group C have done well except for the reversal in their match against Isipathana which they lost by the smallest of margins 5 -6, a match which they should not lose.

The Antonians led by brilliant fly half Saheer Reyal will be fielding a very strong side. They have this season beaten Royal College 49-17, St. Joseph's College 47-10, Thurstan College 13-0, Zahira College 82-3, Isipathana College 22-0, Dharmaraja College 31-8 and St. Sylvesters College 51-10.

On form, the Antonians should go out as favourites to win this match which should produce sparkling rugby.

A point of interest is that the Antonians who took to rugby in the mid fifties with former All Ceylon prop forward Mauriece Perera and ironically an Old Trinitian introducing the game to the school by the Mahaweli river.

The Antonians first beat the Trinitians in 1972 under fly half Tuan Zarook Dole and Trinity by Athula Unantenna. Since then Antonians have won ten more times including a six in a row from 1999 to 2004.

The Antonians won in 1986 under Sanjaya Amunugama (Trinity's skipper Senanani Gunaratne, The other wins were in with the losing skippers name given in brackets.

In 1988 Leroy Fonseka (TCK Bindu Dandeniya), in 1995 Malith Silva (TCK M. A. H. Omar), in 1996 Sameera Silva (TCK S. Amarasinghe), in 1999 Salman Kuthus (TCK S. Wickramasiri / R. Ganapathy) in 2000 Ashan Cooray (TCK Devid Luchow), in 2001 Tikiri Dissanayake (TCK T. Jayawardena), in 2002 Asela Rajaguru (TCK N. S. A. Mendis), in 2003 Suranga Swarnatillake (TCK Migara Maddumapatabendi), in 2004 Imran Bisthamin (TCK D. Senarath). Thus will the Antonians make it seven in a row this year.

Trinity College led by centre B. N. R. Fernando have done exceptionally for a team playing in the lower division. They have conquered all their opponents in the tournament to finish unbeaten champions in Division one Group C.

They have also beaten some of the sides playing in the top division in traditional matches. Their only reversal was against Isipathana Maha Vidyalaya whom they went down 5-6 in a traditional fixture.

The Trinitians this year have beaten St. Peter's College, Vidyartha College, Lumbini Maha Vidyalaya, St. Joseph's College, St. Thomas College, Mount Lavinia, Carey College, Prince of Wales, College, Royal College, Panadura and Nalanda College.

With both teams playing well and when it comes to playing arch rivals they do give out their best and therefore red hot rugby is in store for the rugby fans come this Saturday at Nittawela.

St. Anthony's (from) Shehan Jayasuriya, Dinuka Ratnayake, Dilan Kennedy, Migara Jayasekera, Charith de Silva, Niranjan Xavier, Sanjay Rajaguru, Dhammika Abeyratne, Vasabha Senarath, krishantha Rajapakse, Saheer Royal (Captain), Mohammed Muthazeer, Roshan Wijesiri, Mohammed Shafraz, Kushal Rankothge, Nuwan Chathuranga, Chanaka Gunaratne (Coach Viper Gunaratne Jnr.)

Trinity (from) Prasad Wilson, Imesh Kulasinghe, Mahen Wickremasinghe, Masitha Perera, Sean Wanigasekera, Ayi Nung Ching, Dinushka Jayatillake, Imalka Maddumapatabendi, Nishantha Manickkam, Suranga Pushpakumara, B. N. R. Fernando (Captain), Ranganath Ranatunga, Shan Mendis, Kosala Tissera, D. L. Jayawardene, Shahan Dean, Niroshan Sanjeewa, Adil Basith, Thilan Kiridena, Anojan Balasundaram, K. Gurudeniya (Coach Anil Jayasinghe)