Royal and Trinity clash for honours at Bradby’s second leg on Saturday  

By A Special Sports Correspondent 

Royal and Trinity will lock horns for the third time this season when they clash in the second leg of their annual Bradby Shield rugby encounter scheduled for September 7 (Saturday) at the Pallakelle Stadium. This is the 78th fixture in the Bradby Shield series.

When the these two teams met for the first time this season it was billed as a tournament fixture only and Royal emerged the victor with a score of 21-19. This game had no bearing on the Bradby.

In the first leg of the Bradby, Trinity pulled off a stunning win by beating Royal 17-16 in Colombo. Fly half Shan Althaf was the match winner for the school from Kandy.

Meanwhile Royal College had a glorious season and finished third in the points table behind Isipathana College. They suffered two defeats this season; which came against St. Peter’s and Isipathan.

The lads from Reid Avenue are marshalled by centre three quarter Thiven Perera. The side is packed with hard working players in the likes of Thineth Gamage, Nabeel Yahiya, Shimak Shafeek, Y. Ethugala and B. Senanayake. The side is coached by Dushanth Lewke.

Royal are the current custodians of the Bradby Shield having won this two-leg series last season under Randhul Senanayake in 2023.

Trinity, on the other hand, have lived up to expectations and have enjoyed a modest season thus far in rugby. Their skipper Anuhas Kodithuwakku is further ruled out due to a leg injury. But Trinity rallied around acting skipper Thisanga Dissanayake and pulled off a memorable victory in the first leg fixture.

Some of the players who can keep the Trinity flag flying high at the Bradby are R. Bandaranayake, Shan Althaf, U. Gammudali, U. Safras, S. Wanasekara, M. Asri, D. Watagoda, H. Abdeen, M. Yaddehige, A. Fernando and A. Manzil.

Trinity last won the Bradby Shield under Tharinda Ratwatte in 2014.

President’s Trophy semi-finals this weekend

Meanwhile the two semi-final matches of the President’s Trophy school’s knockout tournament will be worked off on September 7 and 8 in Colombo. In the first semi-final scheduled for September 7, St. Peter’s play against Wesley while on the following day Isipathana play against S.Thomas’. Both matches are scheduled to take place at the Royal Sports Complex.

The teams: 

Royal College from: Thineth Gamage, I. Nazeer, A. Yatawara, Yehan Weerasuriya, Y.

Jayasekare, S. Althaf, S. Ranasinghe, Ayyash Shiyam, S. Nissanka, Thiven Perera, (Captain), Disas Pahirana, F. Nazar, Nabeel Yahiya, H. Jayadinu, Shimak Shafeek, A. Rahman, S. Mohideen, N. Haniffa, P. Paneerselvam, D. Jayasuriya, Y. Ethugala, A. Shiyam, B. Senanayake

Trinity College from: S. Alexander, Y. Ariyawansha, D. Thomas, D. Pieris, D. Thilakaratne, N.Kumarasinghe, D. Wijeratne, T. Dissanayake, R. Bandaranayake, Shan Althaf, U. Gammudali, Thisanga Dissanayake (Captain), U. Safras, J.Ishara, S. Wanasekara, D. Wijesiri, M. Asri, D. Watagoda, H. Abdeen, M. Yaddehige, A. Fernando, A. Manzil, D. Karawita