Dialog Schools Rugby League Fancied teams face acid test in Cup

By M. Shamil Amit

The Dialog Schools Rugby League tournament will resume today after the completion of the first round matches as the respective teams will battle it out for the Cup, Plate and Bowl titles.

In the Cup segment the teams in the fray for the title are S. Thomas’ College, Wesley College and Trinity College, the three teams to end their campaign with an unbeaten record and defending champions St. Peter’s College, Royal College and Isipathana College.

In the Plate segment the six teams in the fray are Ananda, Kingswood, St. Joseph’s, Sri Sumangala, Kandy, D.S. Senanayake and Zahira while in the Bowl segment the teams in action are St. Anthony’s, Science, Mahanama, Colombo, Thurstan, Vidyartha and Dharmaraja..

From today it will be an acid test for the three unbeaten teams as they confront tough sides with S. Thomas’ meeting Trinity at Mount Lavinia, Wesley locking horns with Isipathana at Havelock Park and apart from these matches defending champs St. Peter’s will battle Royal at Bambalapitiya.

Trinity vs S. Thomas’

The match no doubt is expected to be a closely contested affair as the two teams will be coming onto the field with a mission in which they will also clash for the Canon R.S. de Saram Shield which has been with Trinity for the last three years. 

They will be seeking to retain it while S. Thomas’ who are having a whale of a time this season are looking forward to regain it.

This will be the second time that the two teams will be meeting each other with the first being in the President’s Trophy quarter-final encounter in which the Trinitians prevailed 24-15.

But since then the Thomians have gone from strength to strength by winning five matches against Kingswood, Zahira, Mahanama, Dharmaraja and Isipathana.

The win against Isipathana gave them the much needed boost and they take the field with confidence.

Trinity on the other hand began their league campaign with a big win against hometown rivals Sri Sumangala and then went on to chalk up wins against Vidyartha, Thurstan, St. Joseph’s and traditional rivals Royal. They too will be moving in with confidence and with both teams evenly balanced a blockbuster is on the cards.

Royal vs St. Peter’s

This match also played for the BC Anghie Memorial Trophy may turn into a cliffhanger as the two teams have undergone a defeat each and looking back at the performances of the teams in the first round it should be another closely contested game.

But the Peterites who are the holders of the Trophy will be aiming to retain it while Royal who suffered a 22-31 defeat last year, would no doubt be looking forward to regaining the trophy and making their presence felt.

Wesley vs Isipathana

These two teams will also be playing each other for the second time this season with Isipathana prevailing in their first meeting in a quarter-final match of the President’s Trophy knockout tournament.

But the Wesleyites have been in top form since they lost as they had a successful run in the first round League matches chalking up wins against Science, DS Senanayake, St. Anthony’s, St Peter’s and Ananda.

Wesley will no doubt be looking to maintain their winning trend but they cannot sit back and take things easy as Isipathana are noted for their never-say-die approach and will no doubt be looking to bounce back.

Apart from these matches there are two Plate segment games down for decision in Colombo with Zahira meeting DSS at Maradana and Ananda confronting Sri Sumangala at Rajagiriya. Two matches are scheduled to be played in the Bowl segment with Thurstan taking on Mahanama at the Sugathadasa Stadium and Science confronting Vidyartha at Mount Lavinia.