Wesley set to renew rivalry against Peterites

Wesley College will renew its rivalry against St. Peter’s College when the two schools meet in the quarter finals of the President’s Trophy knock-out rugby tournament on Saturday at Havelock Park.

It was Wesley that knocked the daylights out of the St. Peter’s College when they won 25-11 at last season’s League tournament match at the same venue, a result from which the Peterites never recovered until they beat the ultimate champs Trinity College in the sign-off match.

Wesley are considered one of the hot favourites to win the prize and had a resounding start when they routed Mahanama College 77-3 in a one-sided pre-quarter final match while the Peterites in contrast beat Ananda College 45-3 to enter the quarter finals.

Wesley won the knock-out title only once way back in 2013 when they outplayed Trinity in the final.

Isipathana College are the defending champions after they beat Trinity in last year’s President’s trophy knock-out final and boast of the best record in the tournament’s history that commenced in 1978 winning the title as many as 15 times.

The Peterites follow second by winning eight finals and lost momentum when the team was withdrawn over a serious breach of discipline last season which signalled the start of a decline in performance.

Another team to be on the lookout for in the 2026 season may come in the form of Zahira College which has had fluctuating fortunes in their quest to resurrect the sport over the past ten years as one of the oldest rugby playing schools in Colombo dating back to the early 1920s.

They will confront Trinity in the second quarter final on Saturday at the Royal College ground while on the following day Isipathana take on St. Joseph’s College and Royal College meet traditional foe S. Thomas’ College at Havelock Park in making up the quarter final line-up.