Isipathana College won their first schools’ league title in five years

By M. Shamil Amit

Isipathana College the Dialog Schools Rugby League Champions for the year 2022 will go for the double when they begin their President Trophy campaign with the quarter-final clash against Dharmaraja College scheduled to be kicked off at the Royals Sports Complex ground today with the kick off set for 4:15 p.m.   

Apart from this match S. Thomas’ College will lock horns with Vidyartha College at Havelock Park which is also scheduled to be played today (27). 

 
Two other quarter-finals are slotted to be played tomorrow (28) with St. Joseph’s College meeting St. Anthony’s College at Royal Sports Complex and Wesley College clashing with Science College at Havelock and both the matches scheduled to be played from 4:15 p.m. onwards.   

Isipathana  are  hot favourites with out three top teams Royal College, Trinity College both who pulled out of the tournament which was clashing with the second leg of the Bradby Shield, and St. Peter’s College being suspended for having included an eligible player in the recently concluded league tournament.   
Isipathana face an opponent in Dharmaraja College who ended as wooden spoonist in the 
league segment.   

In the league segment the two teams were in the same group and the outing between them Isipathana came out on top by 26 points to 12. This in fact was Pathanas last league encounter and they went on to lift the league title.   
In the other match S. Thomas’ too should have little difficulty in brushing off the challenge of Vidyartha who  are fielding a depleted side and will be taking the field sans their skipper who has been banned from taking part in the tournament along with four other players who all have been suspended for one to six months. The decision was taken by the disciplinary committee of the Sri Lanka Schools Rugby Football Association after an assault incident that took place after Vidyartha’s match against Isipathana played at Nittawela.   

St. Joseph’s who pipped Royal to end up as the second best team in the league segment will be the other team to take note of in the knockout title campaign and will be meeting St. Anthony’s for the second time this season.   
In the first outing between the two teams the Josephians come out victorious with a comfortable 35-20 win and they will be looking forward to make a repeat in their campaign in quest for the title and to go one step further of laying their hands on the knockout title.   

Wesley the third best team in the league segment will confront Science who ended fifth in the league tournament. The two teams were in the same group and in the league encounter the double blue boys pulled off a runaway win by 38 points to ten and will be looking forward to make a repeat.   

Meanwhile the lower division knockout tournament for the Premier Trophy and Chaiman’s Trophy will be played concurrently at the same venues and will precede the Division One matches.  

The Premier Trophy Schedule:   

August 27

DSS vs Mahanama Colombo at Royal Sports Complex   
Sri Sumangala vs Maliyadeva at Havelock Park   

August 28

Zahira vs Lumbini MV at Royal Sports Complex   
Thurstan vs Prince of Wales at Havelock Park   
All these matches will be played from 2.00 p.m. onwards

Chairman’s Trophy Schedule:   

August 27

Piliyandala Central vs President’s at Royal Sports Complex   
Sri Rahula MV vs Devapathiraja MMV at Havelock Park   

August 28

St. John’s vs Siri Piyaratana MMV at Royal Sports Complex   
Nalanda vs Sri Sumangala at Havelock Park   
All these matches will be played from 10:00 a.m. onwards