Trinity in Bradby chief guest mix up

Ravi Ladduwahetty

Trinity’s 1970 rugby captain S.P Samarasekera (Seevali/Sam) who led Trinity to the most memorable all time Bradby Shield victory against Jagath Fernando’s Royalists at Nittawela will now be the Chief Guest at the second leg between hosts Trinity and Royal at Bogambara on Saturday.

Legend has it that Samarasekera’s team despite a 18/3 first leg victory at Longden Place was trailing 0/12 in the second leg with 45 minutes of the game over, eventually won 16/12 thanks to the individual brilliance of the skipper himself.

This follows the inability of the original Chief Guest - the 1969 Trinity Captain, Fullback and Rugby Lion M.S. (Shafi) Jainudeen, who led Trinity to an unbeaten season and the Bradby from Harin Malwatte’s Royalists, being unable to make it for the second leg due to the non- availability of flights out of Melbourne where he is living. Shafi was later Havelocks and Sri Lanka fullback.

This has also been due to the shifting of the date of the second leg to June 28 in contrast to Trinity administration informing Jainudeen that the second leg was to be on July 5, the following Saturday.

Jainudeen has informed both Trinity College and Samarasekera of his inability to make it for the encounter and has requested Samarasekera to represent him, which Samarasekera has accepted on the understanding that Jainudeen becomes the Chief Guest for 2009 with advanced notice.

Trinity under Flanker Milinda Gunawardena goes out firm favourites to win the Shield with a 12 -point lead from the first leg after beating Centre Suvinda Lenaduwa’s Royalists 24/ 12.

This Trinity XV also has three-second generation players. Flanker Idris Omar is the son of 1978 Trinity fullback Tariq Omar and nephew of 1996 Trinity Rugby Lionsman and Sri Lanka skipper Harris Omar. Lock Forward Pulasthi Gamage is the son of 1976 Trinity Lock Forward Namal Gamage.

Rahaal Balasuriya is the son of 1977 Bradby Shield winning Captain Ravi Balasuriya under whose captaincy Trinity was unbeaten, won the Phillip Buultjens Trophy for the third year in succession and where Trinity was also the first Sri Lankan schoolboy rugby team to be invited for the Asian Rugby Football Championships in Bangkok that year.