Hosts Trinity face uphill task against Royal in Bradby opener  

By A Special Sports Correspondent 

Trinity College will be hoping for an all-round performance from both backs and forwards when they host traditional rivals Royal College at Pallakelle in the first leg of the 77th Bradby Shield encounter on Saturday (July 22).

Led by fly half and playmaker Atab Manzil the Trinitians have had a modest season this far in the schools under 19 league rugby tournament beating Vidyartha 20-10 and Science 55-10, but losing to Dharmaraja 17-15 and St. Peter’s 22-10. The Trinitians are coached by former Sri Lanka rugby captain Fazil Marija. The Trinitians have the home advantage and their backs are fast. The forwards too have done well and are capable of playing a very physical game.

Royal on the other hand are the favourites in this game; coming into the big one with smashing wins against Science (45-10), Vidyartha (47-3), Zahira (44-3) and Dharmaraja (36-18). Their only setback came against St. Peter’s where they lost a close contest by 11 points to 5. Royal have a fast back division and an equally enthusiastic set of forwards who can steamroll their way over any opposition. The Royalists are coached by old boy and former Sri Lanka player Dushanth Lewke.

Royal are the present custodians of the shield having won last year’s two-match encounter with an aggregate of 50 points to 26. Last year Trinity came back strongly in the second leg to win 26-21, but lost the first leg badly; suffering a thumping 29-0 defeat at the hands of the boys from Reid Avenue.

The Bradby Shield was presented to the organizers of this annual rugby fixture to be given away to the winner by one-time principal of Royal College E.L Bradby in 1945. However, the Royal vs Trinity rugby encounter received top billing even before the shield was introduced and became a two-leg series in 1943.

In other key matches of the under 19 inter-school league rugby tournament scheduled for week six D.S. Senanayake take on S. Thomas’ at Havelock Park on Friday. On Saturday Isipatana lock horns with Wesley at Havelock Park while St. Peter’s scrum down with Science at Bambalapitiya. On Sunday Vidyartha host Zahira at Bogambara while Kingswood play St.Anthony’s at Pallakelle.

The teams: 

Trinity College Rugby pool: S. Alexander, D. Watagoda, M. Silva, J. Basnayake, V. Kumarage, N. Kumarasinghe, H. Samaraweera, C. Dhanapala, M. Raizan, Atab Manzil (Captain ), H. Faizal, R. Wanasinghe, Anuhas Kodithuwakku, S. Satheeskumar, Shan Althaf, J. Samarakoon, T. Dissanayake, J. Peter, R. Bandaranayake, R. Ilangarathne, Y. Ariyawansha, I. Munasinghe, M. Usman 

Royal College rugby pool: T. Gamage, I. Azeer, H. Hussein, B. Malalagama, Y. Rajasinghe, Randul Senanayake (Captain), Y. Senewirathne, T. Hassen, Simak Shafeek, Thivain Perera, C. Senewirathne, P. Samarakoon, Philio Calyanarathne, Disas Pathirana, Nabel Yahiya, A. Akram, R. John, Y. Weerasuriya, Y. Ethugala, C. Samarasinghe, H. Hussein, N. Mohammed, D. Gamanayake.