‘Three quarters’ to battle as Petes and Pathana vie for knockout glory

By A Special Sports Correspondent

Isipathana and 2023 league champions St. Peter’s will vie for honours when they clash in the President’s Trophy schools under 19 rugby final scheduled to take place at Sugathadasa Stadium on Sunday (September 10).

The Peterites will be the favourites in this encounter because they walk in with an unblemished record this season and also due to the fact that they have beaten the ‘Green Shirts’ once when they met in the league encounter. The Peterites have done well to remain at the top of the schools’ tournament thanks to an all-round effort by the boys and the guidance of a successful coaching team headed by Sanath Martis. Their performances in the knockouts were much acclaimed by rugby fans largely because they had one of the toughest passages to the knockout final.

Their games against Trinity (in the quarterfinals) and St. Joseph’s in the semis were challenges that needed the hardest grinds from the players. The Peterites have a fine set of three quarters and anyone from numbers 10 to 15 can produce the match winning try for them in this game which is billed by some as the one that produces the ultimate champion of the schools rugby season. Some of the players to watch in the Peterite side are skipper and third row forward Ashain Madugasge, Sudesh Jayawickreme, Dinith Ranasinghe, Kushan Tharindu, Vindya de Mel, Yumeth Shihara and Praneeth Silva, who scored a decisive try in the semi final against Joes. The last occasion when St. Peter’s won the President’s Trophy was in 2019 under Bilal Hilmy.

Isipathana can be safely rated as a team which has the potential to lift the knockout trophy this Sunday. The lads from Havelock Town have in their ranks one of the best set of back division players and coach Saliya Kumara will vouch for that. Predictions are that a few of these players from Isipathana would certainly graduate to the national side if they continue their rugby at club level. Players like skipper and fly half Navin Kanishka and centre Shahid Zumri are hot prospects to earn invitations from division one clubs early as this season.

The inter- club rugby season is scheduled to commence in November this year. The other promising player in the side is winger and place kicker Rinesh Silva, but the lad needs to muscle up if he wants to take the knocks in domestic club rugby; where size maters as much as speed. The other players in the side who can lift the Green Shirts with telling performances are Shahindu de Costa, Heshan Randimal and full back Kalindu Silva. The last occasion when Isipathana won the schools’ knockout tournament was in 2022 under third row forward DahanWickremaarachchi.

St.Peter’s College

rugby pool- A. Madugasge (Captain), K.Tharindu, Windya de Mel, S.Jayawickrema, M.Wishmitha, D.Ranasinghe, R.Ranithu, D.Navodya, S.Gamage, S.Perera, S.Gallage, S.Aruldasa, A.Fernando, E.Jayaweera, P.Thakshila, P.Himansa, D.Dilsara, H.Shihara, P.Perera, P.Silva

Isipathana College rugby pool:S.Senarathne, Kenula Mhisara, S.Arawagoda, Shakib Zumri, N.Thahir, C.Iroshan, G.Maneth, Nisaja Jayaweera, Shehandu de Costa, Naveen, Kanishka (Captain), Shahid Zumri, Chamindu Chirath, Heshan Randimal, Rinesh Silva, Kalindu Silva, D.Hansidu, L.Mapitigama, M.Devan, A.Azeez, M.Ransaja, T.Ranawera