Isipathana, Trinity and Royal going great guns
The Singer U20 Schools inter-schools rugby league season of 2015 is in full swing and from the three rounds of matches that have been completed three teams — defending champions Isipathana, runner-up Trinity and Royal — are going great guns.
The three teams have so far remained unbeaten winning all their three matches that they have played so far. Isipathana playing in the Segment 1A began their campaign in style with a massive 71-5 win over newcomers CWW Kannanagara MMV and then followed it up with wins against Wesley (34-0) and St. Joseph’s (23-17).
Isipathana skipper Omalka Gunaratne is the leading try scorer so far in the tournament - Pic by Amila Gamage
Traditional rivals Trinity and Royal are contesting in the Segment 1B but Trinity are on top in this group having secured a 1.50 bonus points. Trinity started off with a win against hometown rivals Dharmaraja (50-37) and then got the better of the other hometown rivals St Anthony’s (49-13) and then overcame S. Thomas’ (40-15).
Royal on the other hand began with an easy 38-10 win over St Anthony’s but underwent some anxious moments before recording wins against Science (37-22) and Dharmaraja (17-5).
The teams in the fray in the Segment 1A group comprises of Isipathana, Kingswood, St. Joseph’s, St. Peter’s, Wesley and CWW Kannangara MMV who earned a promotion to the top division while the teams in Segment `B comprises of Trinity, Royal, Science, S. Thomas’, Dharmaraja and St. Anthony’s Katugastota.
There is a keen tussle going on in the Segment 1A with Kingswood, St. Joseph’s and St. Peter’s recording two wins each but Kingswood by virtue of having secured 1.50 bonus points takes the second spot while St. Joseph’s by virtue of having scored more tries has piped arch rivals St Peter’s for the third slot.
Wesley and CWW Kannangara MMV are yet to see the winning post having lost all the three matches that they have played so far.
In the Segment 1B Science College Mt. Lavinia is lying third having won two matches followed by S. Thomas’ who have been able to secure only one win while Dharmaraja and St. Anthony’s are yet to win a game.
Looking back at the performances of the teams and with two more matches to be played Isipathana, Trinity and Royal are assured of a slot to the next round.
Isipathana have two tough matches left to be played against St Peter’s which is due to be played on April 24 at Longdon Place and Kingswood at Bogambara but according to how they are performing it looks that the Isipathanians could end up the league stage with an unbeaten record.
Traditional rivals Trinity and Royal will play one match before they confront each other. Trinity is due to clash with Science College on April 26 at Mt. Lavinia while Royal will meet S. Thomas’ at Havelock Park before they play each other on May 9 at Pallekele which would also be the first leg of the Bradby Shield.
Meanwhile the most improved side this season has no doubt been St. Joseph’s who began the season with a win against arch rivals St Peter’s whom they are defeating after a lapse of 15 years which also saw them regain the Fr. Basil Wiratunge Memorial Shield.
Then they followed it up with a win against newcomers CWW Kannangara MMV with a crushing win but unfortunately lost their unbeaten tag when they lost to defending champions Isipathana in a game which could have gone either way.
Isipathana skipper and No.8 Omalka Gunaratne is the leading try scorer so far with seven tries to his credit and he is closely followed by Trinity’s full back Saranga Gunatilleke who has six while Isipathana’s second row Chathura Dilshan along with Supun Warnakulasuriya of Royal and Reza Rafaideen have scored five tries each.
However Trinity’s Saranga leads in the most number of points scored by a player as with his superb place kicking he has accumulated 55 points followed by Kingswood’s Reza (43), Isipathana’s Omalka and Chathura has 35 and 34 points each and St. Joseph’s full back Shamilka Kurumbalapitiya (31).
The league segment will come to an end on May 9 after which the top four teams in both the groups will confront each other in quest for the league title. However there are no favourites as defending champions Isipathana who won the triple last year are not going to have it easy as Trinity and Royal are also in the running while St. Joseph’s could pull off a surprise.