Wesley’s historic U-14 rugby triumph
View(s):
Wesley College of Colombo became the All-Island Under-14 Rugby Tournament Cup champions beating St. Anthony’s College, Katugastota 10-7 in the finals of the All-Island 10-a-side Rugby Championship held in Kurunegala on December 30, 2022.
They beat Royal College, Colombo 7-0 and Dharmaraja 26-0 in the semi-finals and quarter-finals respectively. Wesley’s Shifaan Inthikab was selected as the Player of the Tournament.
Wesley previously won the Under-14 Cup championship in 2000, and managed to regain the title after 22 years. In the final, Wesley played good running rugby and scored two tries in the first half to get an early lead before the short whistle through Ehren Ali and Ayaan Hussain. St. Anthony’s bounced back in the second half with a converted try to reduce the gap, but time was not in their favour to turn the game around before the long whistle.
The team is coached by Lasitha Randeera De Silva and the teacher-in-charge Andrew Ousman and Roznani Sallay gave their utmost support to the winning outfit. In the group stage games Wesley beat Dharmapala 55-0, Carey 26-0, and Mahanama 12-5. They went on to beat Dharmaraja 26-0, Royal 7-0 and St. Anthony’s 10-7 in the knockout stage to finish off with an unbeaten record.
(Standing from left): Akesh Ryan, Liam Onasiz, Nepul Kularathna, Raashid Asif, Yoosuf Rushan, Jonathan Wijayasinghe, Sharfaan Mohammed, Ihsaan Faleel, Ahyaan Johar, Nikith Shenool, (Seated from left): Hivin Uthmika, Ehren Ali, Dinaru Dhahamyuth, Senuth Dilnada, Shifaan Inthikab (Captain), Ayan Hussain, Maahir Packeerally, Manuga Jayaweera and Ramesh Ronnav
The champions with Principal Avanka Fernando and Shiraz Jaldeen - Pix by M.A Pushpa Kumara