Trinity vs Isipathana A peep back into the past

Hafiz Marikar

Today at Pallekelle stadium, the eagerly awaited confrontation between arch rivals at rugby Trinity and Isipathana will take place. The kick off is scheduled for 4.30 pm after the junior game. A record crowd is expected at this match and with the weather favoring rugby. So far, a good game is in store for the rugby fans over here.

Will this be a spectators banned game? The referees have told that they have taken a decision, to blow three school games without spectators and it will be like tea without milk. Will it happen today in this match or will there be a spectators’ game, or will this match be played is the talk among the rugby circle. According to news, D. Nimla is expected to blow.

So, it will be interesting to see how both sides, who are good in open rugby, dish out today. Trinity this time are placed second and Isipathana are among the last two teams. All in all this match is going to be a sizzler.

This writer goes back to the 1984 game at Havelock Park, where Isipathana beat Trinity in Colombo. In that year the Kandy boys traveled to Colombo with an intention of scoring their first win against Isipathana, but the awesome performance by the Pathanians in their close 8-6 win, made many wonder whether Trinity would shatter this myth in future.

It was Isipathana’s sheer courage to conquer and determination of defy defeat that seemed to put Trinity in a stupor. Infact, Isipathana backed by a frenzied flag waving crowd, reconstructed a legend similar to that of David bringing down Goliath.

In terms of physique, the Trinitians towered over their opponents but in the end. Isipathana had proven how rugby should and could be played. It is a game that calls not only for men and muscle but also for the exploitation of the mind.

Though dwarfed by the hulky Trinity forwards, Isipathana’s pack spearheaded by their captain Shabeen Sideek, from the lock forward berth, made what seemed a mountain look a mole-hill. That they achieved a semblance of possession in the lineouts despite losing the scrums, was an example of Trinity’s vulnerability under the marauding Isipathana forwards. Hence being bottled in to such a situation, things turned sour for the reputed Trinity back division was they were prevented from laying hands on the ball for most part of the game. On the few occasions they did, their life became miserable as the Isipathana three-quarters exploded from nowhere to grab back possession.

So, an entire half had passed without much excitement or an entry to the scoreboard when Isipatana suddenly launched their terrific offensive in the second half. It began when their fly half Nizam Jamaldeen failed by a whisker to drop what would have a magnificent goal. The ball kicked high from outside the Trinity “25” was seemingly heading in to the vacant region between the posts but to the dismay of Isipatana it struck the left post and bounced in to play. An Isipathana then, missed by seconds to fall over the ball which had rolled in to the in-goal area. It was a piece of misfortune for Isipathana they were ever dejected by it Instead each of the fifteen green-jerseyed youngsters attempted to drown their sorrows by a combined bid to score in this half.

A stage was now reached, where the Trinity forwards rattled by their fiery counterparts, could merely watch helplessly as their backs too slipped up possession mainly due to the unsteady performance of their captain Dushyantha Wijesinghe who was the faulty link in the break down of communications between the pack and the backs. Trinity’s state as far as possession was concerned had become so wretched that Isipathana were gradually earning vital possession in the set-pieces too. It was in one for the scrums mid-way in this half, that Isipathana’s plan to attack with the aid of almost the entire side bore fruit. Nobody else gave more meaning to team work that winger Keerthi Weerasinghe. Isipathana won the scrum and the ball began to be transferred to the back division in supremacy and style.

Thereafter, the defence could not stop the fine move among the backs and Keerthi Weerasinghe, a small made three-quarter, whisked the ball away to the goal line with the swiftness of a deer. Previously, Keerthi had tried to dart though the defence to score but was always brought down by the desperate defenders. A another Isipathana try followed ten minutes later as center Gamini Senanayake touched down by the right corner flag after fly half Nizam Jamaldeen had shifted play from the left flank to right through an intelligent move off a scrum.

Like in the earlier try, this too could not be converted by substitute fullback Chandana Deepthi who also missed a 25 yard penalty ad paved the way for the Trinity’s only try. Deepthi, collecting a kick-ahead, attempted to gain ground by running instead of kicking but was tackled in almost midfield. Trinity’s prop Siva Subramanium picking up the loose ball made his way to the goal line. He to was tackled ten yards from the corner flag but Trinity’s winger Senani Gunaratne giving chase from behind, plucked the ball before two Isipathanians and dashed away to score under the posts. Fly half M.T.L.J Perera converted and Trinity’s belated fight back gathered momentum till referee Jeff de Jong’s final whistle.