Clash of the titans at Royal Complex
Two of the leading rugby playing schools, Isipathana College and Trinity College, will lock horns against each other to lay their hands on the Dialog President’s Trophy Schools Knockout Rugby Trophy with the kick off set for 3:45pm at the Royal Sports Complex today.
Isipathana, led by centre Thinethra Dodangoda will lead his team with the intention defending the title while Trinity, led by centre Usman Safaraz, will be eager to lay their hands on the title after a lapse of 14 years. Trinity’s last win came in 2011 under Murad Ramzeen.
This will be 29th occasion that Isipathana will feature themselves in the knockout final, a successful appearance out of which they have succeeded to win the title on 14 occasions since the tournament began in 1985 as the Premadasa Trophy known as Prime Minister’s Trophy. Today will be Isipathana’s fourth successive final appearance since 2022, out of which they emerged victorious twice, in addition to a league title.
Both teams has had fluctuated fortunes but succeeded to come out winners in the three matches they played. Isipathana recorded a runaway win against Sri Sumangala College, Kandy in the pre-quarter-final but underwent some anxious moments against Wesley College and Royal College in the quarter-final and semi-final encounters. Trinity too began with a massive win against hometown rivals St Anthony’s College in the pre-quarter final, but was made to work hard for their win in the quarter-final and semi-final clashes against S. Thomas’ College and Zahira College. Trinity are making their appearance in the final after a lapse of 12 years having lost to Wesley in 2013.
The two sides are oozing with talent and the Pathanas have in their ranks No.8 Shaakib Zumri, winger Isuru Udayanga, flyhalf Avshika hiran, fullback Nimantha Sandeepa and lock Nevith Mevnaka, who all have been in perfect touch in the previous games running up to the final.
Trinity will bank on star fullback Shan Althaf, who for sure will be a marked man, No.8 Shrayan Santheshkumar, flanker Abdeen Hamza, centres Menusha Silva and Usman Safaraz, who is also the skipper.
However, an interesting battle within the battle will certainly on the cards between Isipathana’s No.8 Shaakib Zumri, who is in top form after his hat-trick of tries against Wesley and Trinity’s playmaker and fullback Shan Althaf, a hard nut to crack. Previous clashes between the two sides have been close affairs, and both sides will be coming into the crucial game brimming with confidence.
The two teams last met each other in a knockout final in 2012 and it was the Green Machine who came out victorious with a close 21-16 win.