Wesley seek vengeance over Trinity as Royal and Isipathana play in a grudge match

By M. Shamil Amit

Schools rugby is expected to be at its best with four teams clashing on Saturday and Sunday in the two semifinals of the knockout tournament seeking to earn the two slots of the final scheduled to be played next week.

Last year’s league champions and knockout runners up Trinity College will be one of the teams meeting league runners up Wesley College today at the Royal Sports Complex ground at Reid Avenue and defending knockout champions Isipathana College locking horns with Royal College at Longden Place tomorrow with kick off set for 4.15 pm on both days.

Wesley led by Mohamed Fawaz will be moving into the game with confidence having chalked up two convincing wins with the first against Mahanama College whom they drubbed 77-3 in the pre-quarter final and then coasted to 33-29 win over St Peter’s College in the quarter final encounter.

Wesley for sure are going to be a side to be reckoned with as they have a host of players in the likes of fly half Shifan Inthikab, winger Prathana Rodrigo, prop Abdul Rahman, center Manuga Jayaweera and hooker Liam Onasiz.

On the other hand Trinity led by playmaker Shan Althaf got over Thurstan College 38-8 in the pre-quarter final but were given a fright by Zahira College in the quarter final as they were made to work harder for their 33-23 win after conceding a 10-11 lead to Zahira at half time.

The Trinitians will also be banking on their experienced players Nishitha Kumarasinghe, Udan Wijekoon, Hamza Abdeen, Achintha Jayasena and Abdul Malik.

Wesley will be taking on Trinity seeking revenge for their close two point defeat (21-23) through a last minute penalty booted over by Althaf when they met last year at Kandy

Wesley will be taking on Trinity seeking revenge for their close two point defeat (21-23) through a last minute penalty booted over by Althaf when they met last year at Kandy.

When Isipathana meets Royal on Sunday, it will be a repeat of the knockout semifinal last year at the Sugathadasa Stadium where the former came out winners 24-17.

The two sides are led by experienced campaigners with No 8 Shakib Zumri leading Isipathana and Disas Pathirana in charge of Royal.

Isipathana overcame Science College 41-8 in the pre-quarter and then got the better of St Joseph’s College 22-10 in the quarter final while Royal had an easy passage against St Anthony’s College Katugastota and then got past traditional rivals S. Thomas’ College 25-5 in the quarter final.

Zumri has two top players in Nimantha Sandeepa and Abdul Azeez who are the co-captains along with Yuvindu Kodituwakku, Kavin Jayasinghe, Damsara Witharana, Sajid Zumri, Thenula de Costa and Damsara Witharana as some of the frontline players.

Royal skipper Pathirana will bank on Praveen Nimsara, Senuja Ranasinghe, Mohamed Simak, Mohamed Rajid and Kavan Ekanayake in their quest for a slot in the final.