What was supposed to be a tightly contested final turned out to be a totally one-sided affair as Isipathana ran circles round the Royal defence to pierce through and score as many as seven tries to Royal’s two. The final scoreline Isipathana 47 (7 tries, 6 conversions) to Royal’s 12 (2 tries, 1 conversion) tells the story of how dominant the Pathana team was.

This victory by Isipathana was one of the best in a Pathana-Royal match for20 years beating the previous best of 40 points to nil win by the Royal in 1976 under Skanda Fernando. Isipathana was captained by Jayantha Ginigalgoda.

Isipathana’s final tally was the highest total score as well as the biggest margin scored by a team in the history of an inter-schools knockout rugby final.

Pathana’s execution in the match was a tribute to their master tactical young head coach Nilfer Ibrahim and his assistant Terence Henry. They laid out a superb plan which in the end, the entire team put into action enabling them to nail the far more superior forwards play of the Royalist.

Isipathana’s entire forwards played like terriers in the loose as well as in the set pieces and the break downs winning abundance of positions through turn overs enabling their much more fancied three quarters to plant all the tries in the end. Even in the rucks, mauls and scrums the entire gallant Pathana forwards matched weight to weight and sometimes out shone the much more fancied Royal forwards.

Isipathana’s front three were the unsung heroes behind this victory with a superb defensive display carried out through the entire 80 minutes. Surprisingly Isipathana dished out this unbelievable display even without a ground, gym or a swimming pool of their own.

Speaking to the Daily News exclusively after the win a jubilant Isipathana head coach Nilfer Ibrahim said, “With this change of date issue of the final Royal created undue pressure and it was a morale booster for us as we did not take any notice of it. We did our planning and practices accordingly and our principal and the entire rugby committee was behind us backing us right throughout. I want to thank our rugby captain, entire rugby squad, principal, the rugby committee, parents, old boys and the supporters young and old for their utmost support given to us to be successful throughout this season.

Royal captain Nikhila Gunadheera (ball in hand), held by Isipathana captain Kushan Indunil (with a head band) and fly half Randy Silva (number 23)

“Most probably this will be my final year as head coach of this fabulous rugby playing school Isipathana, so I wanted to end it on a high and wanted to give something special to the school. I am very happy that under my coaching I enabled them to reach nine finals and win five trophies,” Ibrahim said.

Isipathana opened scoring in the 12 minute when off a three quarter move vice-captain cum centre Sumudhu Rankothge went through the Royal defence to score mid right. Full back Gayan Wickramaratne made the conversion and Pathana went into a 7-nil lead.

Soon after in the 26th minute Pathana three quarters collected a ball and set their three quarter line in motion where the ball changed several hands from skipper Kushan Indunil to fly half Randy Silva who dummied his way through to score far right. Wickramaratne this time missed the conversion and the score read Isipathana 12-0.

In the 37th minute Royal scrum half Ashok Wijeykumar crashed through for a try off a penalty tap and fly half Ovin Askey fired across the conversion to cut down the lead to 12-7 in favour of Isipathana.

Just on the stroke of half time Pathana winger Chamod Fernando collected a ball from a three quarter move and made a daring break and gave a superb off load to Indunil who scampered through for a try close to the right upright. This time Wickramaratne slotted the conversion and Isipathana went into a 19-7 lead at half time.

After the resumption in the 46th minute Isipathana scored again, when off a three quarter move their scrum half Harith Bandara made a spectacular break and gave an inside pass to flanker Adeesha Weeratunge who in return gave an off load to Randy Silva who fell over for a try. Wickramaratne made the conversion and Pathana went led 26-7.

In the 57th minute Royal closed the gap when off a rolling maul their hooker Azmir Fajudeen scored a try. Askey missed the conversion and the score read 26-12 in favour of Isipathana.

In the 65th minute off a ruck the ball came to Randy Silva who scampered through and when challenged off loaded to his vice captain cum centre Rankothge who crashed through to touch down under the post for a brilliant try. Wickramaratne made the conversion to take the score to 33-12.

Within a couple of minutes Pathana further increased their lead when their open side winger Ranindu Padmasanka made a superb break and sent Randy Silva over for his third try of the match. Padmasanka made the conversion and Isipathana increased their tally to 40-12.

Isipathana virtually sealed the match in the closing stages of the game when their dynamic number eight Vageesha Weerasinghe broke through the blind side of the scrum and sent his speedy winger Padmasanka over the Royal defence to score a spectacular try under the post after covering nearly 85 metres. Padmasanka made the simple conversion to take the final score an impressive 47-12.

Isipathana’s young half back Harith Bandara was adjudged the best player of the tournament.

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.