Then came the Green Shirts and worked their threes
If adoptions can bring in positive changes en route to successful endings, it will be justifying naming the First XV rugby team of Isipathana College as a group of youngsters who went through all of it. When the Singer Schools Under-20 League Rugby Champonship kicked off four months ago, the competition had no specific favourites and it remained same way until the last wire.
Despite winning two titles in 2014, Isipathana is keen on claiming a third and is seriously training for the Milo Knockouts - Pic by Amila Gamage
And then came the Green Shirts, winning match after match but as a totally different unit than they are usually branded – decent and law-abiding boys. Isipathana’s customary style of play, fast, rough and physical was totally changed and so were their attitudes. By the end of the competition, Isipathana has earned a double — the Schools Sevens and the Singer League – with an unbeaten record and plus a good name for behaviour on the field.
After completing an unspoiled Sevens tournament earlier on, Isipathana’s new coach Nilfer Ibrahim really wanted to see the slight differences he adhered run a long way. He along with his assistant Anuranga Walpola and with the support of Chaminda Gallage, the ardent, ready-to-die manager of the Isipathana rugby team, and the players made a pledge that Isipathana would end up unbeaten champs in the Sevens, the League as well as the Knockouts.
“This we did at the school’s rugby room at the beginning of the season and it so happened, that Isipathana won the Schools Sevens Championship without losing a game. The boys were fired up then and were keen to make their pledge a certainty. I was really happy for them because it was my first outing as a coach in Colombo and I was really thrilled by the amount of spirit the boys had on the game, which was after all natural,” Ibrahim stated.
Skipper Shenal Deelaka
Ibrahim’s greatest concern when he was offered the job some months ago was the reputation Isipathana had involuntarily earned – the bullies of school rugby. He was very much keen to transform that status as much as he was with the playing pattern, training, nutrition, behaviour as well as building a healthy relationship with the boys. After several months, Ibrahim is a contended person, as a coach, a motivator and more or less as a father figure to the boys.
“Isipathana can be named as the only school that plays rugby with a full heart. There are schools that are financially strong and play good rugby, but the will and determination or in other words, the heart is something that cannot be bought or engraved. Isipathana traditionally has a bunch of boys who are keen on their rugby. That’s something that makes a coach’s job easy.”
“When I coach I always make sure to get into their boots. It’s my way. The message should go to the boys that the coach is an open person and that should open the doors to a good relationship between the coaching staff and the players,” he stated.
With comprehensive and affective training blueprints Ibrahim, Walpola and the trainer of the team, Dinesh Kumara made sure that the boys go through a process that they will feel liable for the team’s outcome as an individual. But the start of the league was rather shaky, unexpected in addition to the pressure the Isipathana camp had in facing Royal College after both sides experienced bitter lessons the previous season.
The Isipathana rugby squad
However a cleanly and keenly contested game was won by Isipathana by a single point with the final scores reading as 15-14. The scores in a way depicted other angles Isipathana should improve. But the coaching staff admits the boys became a bit awkward after the original game plan was changed by them on the field. However they regrouped to thrash D.S. Senanayake with a massive 85-12 win the following week. The same mistakes as the first game were repeated against Trinity but with the coaches doing the needful at the halftime break gave Isipathana a close 21-17 win.
“From there onwards it was one-way traffic. They did mistakes and learned from them and eventually the boys were getting mature and bolder on the field. In the meantime some who underperformed or played rather harshly against the game plan had to be demoted to the Second XV. They had to prove their worth and return to the main group which is a fair deal to all. After all it’s a team game,” stated manager Gallege.
Before moving to the second round of the Cup Championship in the League Competition, Isipathana had very little trouble in beating St. Joseph’s by 24-8 but almost felt the clutch of defeat before pulling off a thrilling 25-22 win against Wesley. With two weekend’s rest the boys from Havelock Park made use of the time to regroup and do away their mistakes. The return was astonishing. They thrashed S. Thomas’ by 61-0 and went on to hammer Science 55-7 before being stalled by the Peterites. The game against St. Peter’s ended in a 25-all draw but the outcome didn’t affect Isipathana’s unbeaten tag. What was left in them to do was overcome Kingswood and push aside close contenders Trinity in the closing week. Despite mistakes Isipathana secured a 34-13 win to lay their hands on the Singer Schools Under-20 League Championship after a year. This achievement comes sans a sponsor or a long overdue ground. The only resources they had were the keen bunch of old boys who helped from across the world, the rugby committee, the officials of the Havelock Sports Club, the blessings of the school authorities and parents and the determination of the players and the coaching staff.
“It all became a possibility mainly because our coach had the faith on us. His conduct with the team was amazing. As players we know a mistake occurred at a match but the coach never pulled us up on anything. What he would do is correct the mistakes at the next training session so we get the message clearly. This made our surrounding a comfortable one with the school officials and members of the Rugby Committee assisting the team in numerous ways. All these helped us and I’m proud to lead a team that had all the grits, guts and will to learn, grow and deliver. As a unit we are proud of being able maintain our pledge so far and this only gives us more confident on our way to the triple championship, which can be claimed if we win the ongoing Milo Knockout competition,” stated a beaming skipper Shenal Deelaka.
The Isipathana College
Rugby squad
Prop Forwards: Ganuka Dissanayaka (Vice Captain), Ashan Darling, Anjana Perera, Hasitha Mapitigama.
Hookers: Nisal Desath, Dilan Devinda.
Lock Forwards: Akila Perera, Sachin Dulshan.
Flankers: Shenal Deelaka (Captain), Dhanushka Bandara, Chathura Dilshan and Theekshana Himaruwan.
No. 8: Omalka Gunaratne
Scrumhalf: Sudam Parinda, Harsha Maduranga.
Centers: Kushan Indunil, Matheesha Sarathchandra, Charana Jayasinghe.
Flyhalf: Dilshan Viduranga, Isuru Umayanga.
Wingers: Dilan Gallage, Sumudu Anuradha, Asitha Gayashan, Chamod Anjana, G.L.D. Padmasanka.
Fullback: Rehan de Silva.
Officials: Nilfer Ibrahim (Coach), Anuranga Walpola (Asst. Coach), Chaminda Gallage (Manager), Wasantha Kumara (Master-in-charge)