Aloysians launch new rugby jersey

St. Aloysius’ College Galle officially launched its 2026 school rugby season on Wednesday with a special ceremony held at the school auditorium to unveil the team’s new official match jersey. 

The event marked the beginning of a new chapter for the Aloysian rugby program as players and supporters look forward to the inter-school rugby season.

The 2026 rugby squad is captained by Sashika Madulanka while Hasindu Viduranga has been appointed vice captain and the ceremony was held under the patronage of principal Pubudu Sampath attended by players, parents, old boys and well-wishers of the school.

College officials said that the newly introduced jersey symbolises the heritage of St. Aloysius’ College while encouraging players to uphold discipline, teamwork and commitment.

St. Aloysius’ College has been into school rugby over the past four decades and is widely regarded as one of the leading rugby-playing schools in the Southern Province. 

The school reached a major milestone in 1998 under the captaincy of Dushmatha Seekkuwawasam when the team secured promotion to the ‘A’ Division. Over the years, several Aloysian players have gone on to represent Sri Lanka at national level competitions. Among them are Dinusha de Soyza and TB Amendra, who represented the country at the 1999 Asian Youth Games while Harsha de Soyza earned national youth team honours in 2006.

One of the most anticipated fixtures in the school’s rugby calendar is the match against traditional rivals Richmond College for the TV Sumanasekera Challenge Trophy. 

First played in 1992, the historic encounter will celebrate its 30th edition in July.

At the 2026 season, St. Aloysius’ will compete in Group B of the A Division tournament. Their opening league match is scheduled for today against Vidyartha College at the St. Aloysius’ College ground, where supporters are expected to gather in numbers to cheer the team, according to a school official.