Isipathana reached the final with a hard fought 8-0 victory over St. Anthony’s Kandy in their semi-final while Kingswood beat Zahira College Maradana 17-0 in the second semi-finals.

“We are ready for the final as we have done our homework and played as a team in every match of this tournament,” said ex-Kingswoodian and head coach of Isipathana College Nilfer Ibrahim.

“Kingswood has come to a final after a long time and also as a team they are playing very well so I am not taking them lightly and I expect a tough fight from them. This is my final match as head coach of Isipathana hence we are going all out to win this final. I want to end my coaching stint with Isipathana on a winning note,” he said.

Other finals scheduled for today at the same venue are:

2.00pm: Shield final – Maliyadeva College Kurunegala vs Moratuwa MV

3.00pm: Bowl final – Vidyartha College Kandy vs Trinity College Kandy

4.00pm: Plate final – St Joseph’s College Maradana vs St John’s College Nugegoda.

Isipathana College, St.Anthony’s College Kandy, Kingswood College Kandy and Zahira College Maradana are in to the semifinals of the Milo inter schools under 18 fifteen a side rugby tournament which worked off yesterday at Thurstan College grounds in Reid Avenue, Colombo.

Isipathana and Zahira have received byes while St.Anthony’s beat St.Joseph’s College Maradana by 38 points to 17 and Kingswood thrashed St.John’s college Nugegoda 75 nil in the cup quarter finals to enter the semifinals.

In the semifinals Isipathan College will confront St.Anthonys College Kandy while Kingswood College Kandy will come up against…

The knockout tournament comprising eight teams will consist of six teams from the Division I Segment A and the top two performers from the B Division. President of the Sri Lanka Schools Rugby Football Association and Principal of Royal College B. A. Abeyratne addressing a press conference at Jaic Hilton for the launch of the tournament on Wednesday said that the tournament will run alongside two other tournaments that will allow them to find the top performers in the lower divisions as well.

“While organizing the President’s trophy in the top division the Prime Minister’s trophy and the Chairman’s trophy tournaments will also be held alongside the main tournament,” said Abeyratne.

The participating are unbeaten league champions Isipathana College, league runner-up S. Thomas’ College ML, Royal College Colombo, St. Peter’s College Bambalapitiya, Wesley College and St. Anthony’s College Kandy from the top division while newly promoted Zahira College Maradana and D. S. Senanayake College will fill in the final two slots in the draw.

Defending champions Science College, Mount Lavinia have withdrawn from the tournament sighting financial difficulties while Trinity College and St. Joseph’s College have also pulled out due to player injuries and other reasons. “We were the triple runners-up last year and we were triple champions in 2014, so we know the pain of losing this tourney; hence we will be going all out to win it at any cost to redeem the lost prestige,” said Isipathana College captain Kushan Indunil.

Since its inception in 1995 St Peter’s who were the inaugural winners have won it five times, Isipathana College six and Kingswood College on four occasions.

The Royalists have an immaculate record after five matches and their cause has been severely bolstered by the presence of ever reliable forwards who are scoring try after try through their famous rolling maul in this League tournament to go along with the dependable place kicking of their young 17-year-old full back Ovin Askey.

They have had no challenge against D.S.Senanayaka College(36-10), Wesley College(17-14), St.Joseph College(27 all draw), Trinity (winning the 1st leg 22-17). Royal went down to Trinity in the return leg in Kandy by 13-18. Last week they stage a spectacular come back where they were trailing 0-19 down to win 33-24 against the fighting Peterites.

Their only blemish this season coming against arch rival S’Thomas College, Mount Lavinia where they were leading till the last minute and lost in the end by 22-16.

On the other hand St.Anthony’s College possesses Samuel Maduwantha their ever reliable fly half who can play in the pivotal position of full back also is the highest point scorer in this year’s on going ‘Singer’ League but has been blowing hot and cold and is savouring the sting of two straight defeats in the past two weeks. Unbeaten Thomians came from behind to invoke their spirit against Anthonians. Isipatha didn’t need any invitations to thrash the Katugasthota outfit last week as well. Also they lost to St. Peter’s in kandy.

These were preceded by two victories over two Kandy Schools, Darmaraja College and Kingswood College but the bite has been taken off their campaign later on and it could be worse for them after this week.

Land Rover is committed to provide support to help stimulate sustainable growth and success of top flight rugby. They were the worldwide partner of the Rugby World Cup 2015. Similarly, in Sri Lanka, SML Frontier is committed to support and nurture schools rugby.

“Land Rover and Rugby have shared values – integrity, courage, pride, composure and capability. These values are required to create great competitive rugby and world class all terrain Vehicles. SML Frontier wishes Trinity College and the Lions all the very best of luck in their upcoming matches,” said Sheran Fernando, Managing Director, SML Frontier Automotive.

The sponsorship was unveiled during a press conference held on Wednesday at the Land Rover show rooms at Flower Road, Colombo 7 attended by the Vice Principal of Trinity College T.B. Jeganathan, Sheran Fernando – Managing Director SML Frontier Automotive (Pvt) Ltd, Theja Peiris, Group General Manager Marketing, Ceylon Biscuits Limited, Rohan Abeykoon. chairman of the Trinity Rugby Scrummage and Rahul Karunatilaka- 1st XV rugby captain of Trinity College, Kandy.

Trinity College vice principal Jeganathan said, “In sports two things are very important which is to be modest in victory and to be generous in defeat.”

He thanked both the main sponsor and the associate sponsor for coming forward this year to sponsor Trinity College rugby.

Rohan Abeykoon, chairman OTRC welcomed the gathering and complimented the two sponsors Land Rover and CBL for their generocity to uplift Trinity rugby and confirmed that Trinity College rugby will be on a high and definitely grow up in the future.

Captain of Trinity College 1st XV rugby Rahul Karunatilaka expressing his views said, “In Trinity rugby history this is the 110th year and I am really proud to be appointed as the 100th captain to lead the College rugby team.

“We expect to have a grand rugby season ahead of us this year and want to play the game in true spirit and sportsmanship, Lion heart and Lions pride.”

Theja Peiris also addressed the large gathering present at the event.

Trinity College Kandy, which was founded in 1872, has an unparalleled rugby tradition in Sri Lankan schools rugby history where old boy L.E. Blaze is credited for having introduced the game to the island schools in 1906, the year in which Trinity played Kingswood College in the very first schoolboy rugby encounter. WAI

The Thomians won the under 20 Sevens title after 22 years the last win coming in 1994 under the captaincy of Nalin Wijegunawardena.

The green shirts drew first blood when Sumudu Anuradha Rankothge crashed through for a near the post try in the seventh minute which was successfully converted by his teammate Gayan Wickramaratne. The Blue shirts could not pose a threat to their opponents in the first half and Isipathana led 7 -0 at lemons.

A few minutes after the resumption, the Thomians made inroads into the Isipathana territory when Thanuja Wijeratne ran round and scored a try with number eight Ashwantha Herath making no mistake with the conversion.

The lads from Mount Lavinia were further boosted by an unconverted try by Praveen Ferdinando.

Minutes later Isipathana’s Randy Silva touched down for a try with Wickramaratne adding the extra points to make it 14-12 for Havelock Town lads.

In the final minute Bhumindra Dissanayake scored a try under the post and Herath assured victory for the Thomians with the conversion.

Priyantha Gunaratne refereed.

The Plate Championship was won by Science College Mount Lavinia who defeated St.Peter’s College 24-7. Dharmaraja College, Kandy emerged Bowl Champions when they beat Lalith Athulathmudali Vidyalaya Mount Lavinia 52-0 in the final.

Vidyartha College Kandy walked away with the Shield Championship taming Maliyadeva College Kurunegala in the final by 46-7.

Some exciting games were showcased during the tournament and the Thomians booked their Cup final berth beating Kingswood College Kandy 21-7 in the semi-finals and Isipathana defeated St. Joseph’s College 22-7.

Police dished out a superb second half rally where they came from behind 3-24 down to hold Navy to a 24 all but the last minute penalty cost them the match.

The match got off to a good start with both teams engaged in a battle for supremacy where Navy drew first blood in the 17th minute when their flanker Yoshitha Rajapaksha scored off a rolling maul, full back Thilina Wijesinghe missed the conversion. Navy went in to a 5 nil lead. In the 33rd minute Navy centre Lee Keegal touched down for an un converted try off a beautiful three quarter move and the score read 10-nil. This score stood at half time.

Soon after the break in the 56th minute, off a five metre scrum Navy number eight Nivanka Prasad crashed through for a superb under the post try. Wijesinghe made the conversion and Navy led 17-nil.

Within three minutes Mubarak put over a penalty to made the score 17-3.

In the 72 minute, Yoshitha Rajapaksha scored his second try off a quick five metre tap. Wijesinghe put over the conversion and Navy went in to a commendable 24-3 lead.

Police flanker Joel Perera barged through for a try off a ruck in the 82nd minute. Mubarak made the conversion. Score 24-10 in Navy’s favour.

Within seven minutes Police scored two back to back tries through flanker Perera (for his 2nd try) and number eight Radeesha Ranjan. Both were put over by Mubarak to make the score 24 all.

Navy sealed the match in style when their reliable place kicker Wijesinghe put over a fantastic 35 metre penalty to take the final score to a thrilling 27 points to 24 victory in the end.

Referee – Priyantha Gunarathna

Havies in hard fought 27-22 win over Army

Havelocks Sports Club were made to sweat till the very last minute by the fighting Sri Lanka Army Sports Club out fit, where Havies’ fly half Samantha Lakshan crash through to score a try in the last minute of play, saw them scored a hard fought 27 (3 Tries, 3 Conversions, 2 Penalties) to 22 ( 3 Tries, 2 Conversions, 1 Penalty) victory in their Dialog ‘A’ Division Inter Club League Rugby first round match played at Air Force grounds in Ratmalana yesterday.

Havelocks led 17-7 at lemons.

The winners could not found their act together in the entire match scoring only 3 tries through Janik Jayasuriya, Dushmantha Priyadarshana and Samantha Lakshan. conversion were done by full back Rimzie Jamaldeen who put over a penalty as well.

The gallant Army side came off neck to neck with the Havies out fit with some sizzling runs and Dazzling display to score three tries. Full back Gayan Salinda converted two tries and fired across a penalty.

Incidentally the rock solid Army side shocked the entire crowd present with their fierce tackling and were really unlucky to lose this game as they were leading 22-20 till the very last move of the game.

Marija speaking to Ceylon Today said after this final Asian Sevens leg, he will be available as a player, but not as the captain. “Now it is time to give an opportunity for an upcoming young player to take over the captaincy role,” he said.
Under his captaincy Sri Lanka’s best achievement came in 2012 by winning three plate titles and finished overall third place in 2013 at Asian Sevens Series. That was the year where Sri Lanka also got an opportunity to participate at the IRB Hong Kong Sevens in 2014 after four years.

Kandy fly half Marija (29) believed players like Sudarshana Muthuthanthri and Srinath Sooriyabandara have enough experience and qualities to handle the captaincy role. “Both played with me and they have a good knowledge about the game” said Marija.
He has once again been appointed to lead the defending league and knock out champions Kandy Sports Club for the upcoming rugby 2015 and 2016 league tournament, which is scheduled to be kicked-off from third week of November.
Marija further said did his best and also shared his knowledge with all young players to make a better team for the nation. As the captain his final wish is to reach the Cup final of the coming tournament, after Sri Lanka finished fourth in both previous legs in China and Thailand.