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Rajans take on Anthonians:
Friendly approach expected from both teams
S. M. Jiffrey ABDEEN - Kandy Sports correspondent
Dharmaraja College, Kandy will take on St. Anthony's College, Kandy,
in a schools under 20 Division one rugby tournament match to be played
at the Bogambara Stadium in Kandy tomorrow commencing at 4.30 p.m.
What is most important in this clash is the revival of sporting links
between these two leading schools in the hill capital which augurs well
for the future.
The relationship between these two schools were strained last year
after the incidents which followed the conclusion of their rugby clash
at Nittawela. Most of these incidents were on the public highway when
the crowds were returning home after the match.
The Antonians who were at the receiving end of this unfortunate
incident were furious and decided to sever sporting links with the
Rajans. As a first step they did not accommodate the Rajans during the
2008/2009 schools cricket season and this is one of the oldest cricket
fixtures in the hill capital. Rajans on their part did try their best to
bury the hatchet but for the Antonians the wounds were still fresh to
forget them so easily. One thing good which has come out of the current
schools rugby season is that both schools have been accommodated in the
same division and they will have to meet each other, thus their sporting
links have been revived by the very sport which severed them. One will
only hope that sportsmanship and camaraderie prevails and this could be
achieved only by a friendly approach both by the two teams and the
spectators to save the sporting links between these two schools for the
posterity.
As far as this clash is concerned, the Rajans have a slight edge over
the Antonians with their gutsy play. Rajans have won just one game this
season against Mahanama College but have come up with some good
performances especially against Isipathana and Royal.
The Antonians have still to win a game and they have yet to play
Mahanama College who have provided the wins to other schools.
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