Confront confident Trinity at Bogambara today:

Royal face acid test in ‘Bradby’ first leg

Dinesh WEERAWANSA

It’s the ‘Bradby’ time again with a rich treat of fast and open rugby to a packed stadium! Royal College, Colombo will be looking forward to complete a hat-trick of wins when they scrum down with Trinity College, Kandy in the first leg of the 67th Bradby Shield rugby encounter to be played in Bogambara, Kandy this evening.

The enthusiasm and excitement that is generated in Bardby Shield series even surpassed premier league club games or even international matches of Sri Lanka team. Hence, the traditional encounter between two of the oldest rugby-playing schools has always taken the prime place in the local rugby calendar.

But Royal is going to face an acid test in their endeavour to complete a hat-trick of wins after back to back wins in 2009 and 2010. The Reid Avenue boys’ dream of retaining the ‘Bradby’ will mainly depend on how they fare in Kandy today. The Trinity Lions have always been ferocious in their own den and Royal will have to come out with a superlative display if they are to tame the Lions.

Both teams look equal on paper though Royal should have a slight overall advantage. But that would be nullified in the first leg at which Trinitians are enjoying home advantage. But if Royal could adjust themselves to the conditions early in the game, they could always head towards a good lead today. Much will depend on how Royal’s heavy and mobile pack, which includes deputy skipper Adil Jabbar who occupies the all-important hooker’s berth.

If their halves combination of Dilipa Jayatillake and Arihad Jamaldeen could link effectively, they should be able to feed the Royal ‘line’ more often.

At the same time, Trinity captain Murad Ramzeen too plays as a prop forward and his presence in the ‘pack’ should make exchanges even in the forwards’ play. Ramzeen will pair off with Anuradha Karunatillake with Kevin Bandara as the hooker. Trinity teams, over the years, have always produced penetrative back divisions and there is no exception this time too.

Royal have already finalized their team for the big game while Trinity is yet to decide one final slot in the three quarter line up. Winger Thisura Karunatillake looks a doubtful starter and if he fails to make it, Sanchana Sheik would join Mohamed Sashan, Dilshan Kelaniyangoda and Kanil Seneviratne to form the Trinity ‘line’.

Customary, the season’s track record does not matter much in the ‘Bradby’ series. Nevertheless, it would be interesting to have a look at how the two teams have fared this season.

Royal have remained unbeaten this season, winning all six matches they have played this season. But four of those six wins have been close games with the best being their exciting 11 points to 10 win over Isipathana. Royal also pulled off exciting wins over St. Joseph’s (38-31), Wesley (33-32) and Kingswood (33-25). But their season’s record is enriched with two convincing victories against Thurstan (72-0) and Dharmaraja (48-5).

In contrast, Trinity too has almost an equally good record, except for that shock 11-12 defeat at the hands of Science College. Except for that upset win by Science College, Trinity has shaped well this season, winning their balance six matches. They had two good wins against town mates St.Anthony’s (10-3) and Kingswood (41-0). But their richest harvest this season came in the game against S.Thomas’ which the Lions won handsomely 75-6. After suffering defeat in the fourth outing for the season, Trinity quickly regained their form to win the next three matches to make an ideal lead up to the all important big ‘un against Royal.

Trinity had the better of St.Joseph’s (38-10) and Wesley (48-13) but their most unforgettable outing this season undoubtedly was the last game against St. Peter’s which the lads from the hill capital won handsomely (34-10) to make an ideal lead up to the ‘Bradby’.

The Reid Avenue boys are the current custodians of the coveted Bradby Shield, named after the late Royal principal E.L. Bradby, who donated the shield to the Royal-Trinity rugby series in 1945. The winners of the shield are determined on aggregate of points after two legs played in Kandy and Colombo. Royal have won the ‘Bradby’ in last two years – in 2009 under Suvinda Lenaduwa (22-12 and 31-15) and 2010 under Duminda Attygalle (38-37 and 34-17).

The Royal-Trinity rugby series began way back in 1920 but the Bradby Shield was introduced only in 1945 after which it turned out to be a two-leg affair. The first ever inter-school rugby match between the two teams in 1920 was won by Trinity which beat Royal by 26 points to nil. The first leg of the inaugural Bradby Shield encounter was won by Royal 3-0 but their joy was short lived as Trinity won the second leg 6-0 and with it became the first holders of the ‘Bradby’.

The highest ever aggregate in the ‘Bradby’ series was registered in 2002 when Royal, led by Zulki Hamid, massacred hapless Trinity team 39-nil in Colombo first leg and 44-nil in the Kandy second leg, to take the shield with a record aggregate of 83-nil.

Of the 66 encounters since then, Trinity takes the lead with 35 wins to Royal’s 30. The only tie in the series was witnessed in 1992.

The teams:

ROYAL: Yasin Yousuf, Adil Jabbar, Iroshan de Alwis, Lahiru Pavithra, Malaka Ihalagedera, Wasin Bawa, Andrew Siriwardena, Shehan Pathirana (Captain), Dilipa Jayatillake and Arshad Jamaldeen, Ijaz Bohoran, Damien Ratwatte, Taraka Wijesuriya, Azman Khan, Rimzie Jamaldeen.

TRINITY: Murad Ramzeen (Captain), Kevin Bandara, Anuradha Karunatillake, Hasintha Perera, Randika de Alwis, Uchintha Weerakoon, Savinda Unamboowe, Sean Foster, Sanjaya Somasiri and Rehan Weerakoon, Mohamed Sashan, Dilshan Kelaniyangoda, Kanil Seneviratne, Thisura Karunatilleke or Sanchana Sheik, Dinuk Nayakaratne.

Referee - D. Nimal