Trinity hoping that they will be third time lucky

Chris Dhambarage

Trinity College Kandy with two defeats in the Bradby Shield are hoping that they will be third time lucky when they confront the traditional rivals Royal College in the Milo Schools President’s Trophy knock out rugby tournament quarterfinal match at the Royal Sports Complex in Reid Avenue today.

The Trinitians lost the first leg by a mere one point 37-38 and went down 17-34 in the second leg up in Kandy but this time they will be even more determined to produce an improved performance and avenge their previous defeats.

However Royal will take the field brimming with confidence following a tremendous performance in the 66th Bradby Shield encounter. In addition they were able to retain the Michael Gunaratne Trophy for the fifth successive year with a convincing 38-18 triumph against S. Thomas’ College Mount Lavinia.

Royal’s strength in the last few matches was their forwards who had the potential to counter attack whenever the team was under pressure and when they were facing a tough situation.

This was very much clear in both outings of the Bradby Shield where they came from behind not once, but on more than a couple of occasions to turn the game in their favour.

In fact in the second leg they were trailing 12-17 at half time but came back strongly to dominate the second half that once again proved their excellent team work and coordination.

But Royal will miss the services of four key players - skipper Duminda Attygalle, flanker Shehan Dassanayake (due to injury), prop forward Yudith Karunaratne and winger Dilshan Palihakkara will miss the match as they are preparing for the GCE (A.L.) exam.

Trinity College of course must have learnt a few lessons from those two Bradby Shield matches and will be all out to make amends in this vital encounter.

The teams

Royal: Yaseen Yusuf, Adil Jabbar, Iroshan de Alwis, , Wasim Bawa, Lahiru Pavithra, Chilanka Samaraweera, Thilina Ratnayake, Shehan Pathirana, Deen Cassim and Arshad Jamaldeen, M. Y. M. Fazil, Hilmy Jamaldeen, Rimzie Jamaldeen, Mushin Faleel (Captain), Chamara Dabare.

Trinity: Rukmal Dodantenne, Murad Ramzeen, Mohamed Rizmy, Akila Wickremarachchi, Sachinthaka Perera, Damith Dissanayke (Captain), Kanishka Hulangamuwa, Shannon Armstrong, Sanjaya Somasiri and Rehan Weerakoon, Mohamed Sheshan, Kanchana Ramanayake, Asif Ainaff, Akila Dissanayake, Kanil Seneviratne.

Kingswood go out favourites

Meanwhile Kingswood College Kandy and Wesley College will revive their rivalry when the two teams clash in the last quarterfinal of the Milo Schools President’s Trophy knock out tournament at the Royal College Sports Complex in Reid Avenue today.

Kingswood College of course will start favourites to reach the semifinals following a highly successful league tournament where they emerged runners up with seven victories to their credit.

However they will take the field under some kind of pressure after they struggled to beat the Wesleyites in their annual encounter played for the L. E. Blaze Shield at the Bogambara Stadium in Kandy recently.

On that occasion Kingswood College were trailing 14-15 at half time before they recovered in the second half to turn the game in their favour 42-20 at the end. No doubt Wesley College have improved tremendously in their last few outings although they finished eighth in the league tournament.

This time they will be hoping to draw inspiration from their previous match against the same opposition as they look to cause a major upset and conclude the season on a high note.