Trinity power too much for Thomian grit
From the first whistle, Trinity came out all guns blazing. The visitors played with fire in their bellies and ice in their veins, using their forwards smartly and backs clinically to put the game beyond doubt well before the final whistle.
Trinity fullback Shan Althaf goes over to score against S. Thomas' - Pic by Eshan Fernando
Trinity wasted no time in setting the tone. In just the fourth minute, after a clean lineout by flanker Evin Jayasekara, flanker Nisith Kumarasinghe powered over for his second try of the season. Centre Sadeesha Weerawansa made no mistake with the conversion as Trinity led 7-0.
The Thomians responded with a glimmer of hope when centre Seneshka Liyanaguwardena dived mid-right for an unconverted try, narrowing the deficit to 7-5 in the eighth minute. But that was the closest they came to troubling Trinity’s momentum in the first half. Hooker Hamza Abdeen, a standout performer for Trinity, then made a break off quick-phase ball and galloped under the posts. Weerawansa once again added the extras, and Trinity stretched the lead to 14-5.
In what can only be described as a show of tactical supremacy, Trinity executed a five-man lineout in the 14th minute. With perfect timing, they set up a rolling maul and Kumarasinghe barged over for his second try of the game. Weerawansa’s boot was once again on target, as Trinity expanded the lead to 19-5.
With the Thomians rattled, flyhalf Shan Althaf turned the heat up. Exploiting a gap with a quick step and a cheeky sidestep, he sprinted past a disjointed Thomian defence for the bonus-point try. Though the conversion was missed, Trinity had already opened a healthy 24-5 lead by the 21st minute.
Five minutes later, winger Udan Wijekoon dummied his way past the defence and dotted down for Trinity’s fifth try. Although the conversion went astray, the scoreline read 29-5 and the Trinitians were running riot.
Just before the break, Thomian skipper and scrumhalf Venuka Wickramasuriya finally found a gap, sneaking through with a clever snipe. The conversion by winger Mayanka Dias, who had a solid game from the tee, brought some cheer for the home crowd. Trinity led 29-12 at halftime, having dominated both territory and possession.
Shortly after the restart, controversy struck. After consultation with the Television Match Official, referee Gihan Yatawara awarded a try in the left corner to Trinity. Althaf, cool as ever, slotted the conversion from a tight angle as Trinity further pushed the margin to 36-12. The Thomians did not give up. In the 48th minute, centre Zaydaan Akbar created magic with footwork and vision, slipping through a tiring Trinity line. Dias converted again, reducing the gap to 19-36.
But with time against them, and Trinity showing superior game management, the Thomians couldn’t break the line again. In the 61st minute, Trinity’s No.8 Sharayan Sathishkumar was sent to the sin bin for dangerous play, reducing the visitors to 14 men. But even with one man down, Trinity’s defence stood tall like a brick wall.
With this 36-29 win, Trinity not only kept their unbeaten tag intact, but also sent a clear warning to their rivals ahead of the crucial final stages of the tournament. Their performance, built on a rock-solid forward pack and silky backs, proved too hot for the Thomians to handle.