Lions lookout! Here comes Royal
By Zainab Hassen
This battle has been fought for nearly three quarters of a century and enacted in reality on 139 occasions. (In 1971 only one-leg was played). Yet, the rivalry has not abated. The tenacity still remains the same as they bent over for their first scrum way back in 1945. They push, shove and maul to gain possession and once they have it all they want is to keep that oval ball for themselves. The battle is fought between Royal College Colombo and Trinity College Kandy and it is called the ‘Bradby Shield’ – always a game incomparable by any standard.
This year tab remains the same. Like their counterparts in Kandy, Royal too remains unbeaten, putting on a show a brand of rugby that sticks in your mind as if it has been made with high quality glue. Yet, for Royal the results of the last four encounters will be a memory that they would be itching to erase.
Royal opened their season by sealing a stunning win against St. Anthony’s Katugastota by 38 points to 10 and then proceeded to pass their test against Science College Mt. Lavinia with the score reading 37-22 in Royal’s favour.
A week later they beat Dharmaraja College at17-5, just to learn that kept their best for the test against their cricket rivals who fight them for the Michael Gunaratne Trophy in rugby – S. Thomas’ College. Mercy was a forgotten word. In eighty minutes of play they piled on 52 points on the scoreboard, but, the opposing slate in the dark.
By far the Royalists have displayed the best forwards game this season. The superstars of this year’s team originate mostly from the pack, the experienced No.8 Supun Warnakulasuriya who is the catalyst of the infamous Royal rolling maul, his quick number eight breaks and aggressive play have resulted in him going over the try line over 8 times these past four matches. The vice captain and most hard working player in the park, flanker Keshan Pieris has impressed with his impeccable work rate which has won over many a turnover and has paved the way for many scoring opportunities and his presence is felt all over the field. Also the fly-half and the playmaker Ashok Vijaykumar should be commended for his quick thinking and pace and thus will be a great asset to the Royal mission of bringing back the Shield.
Another player that has proved his worth is the young fullback Ovin Askey, with his magical puma size 10 boots that are to be blamed for some brilliant work at the last game, he was called up from Under-18 to take over for the injured Ayendra Subasinghe, who put over 21 points in the earlier three matches.
The skilled and seasoned captain Bhanuka Gamage has led his team to victory after victory this season. The formidable skipper had this to say “We are physically and mentally prepared to take on the challenge and we are sure that we can take back what is truly ours. It’s been four long years and we are hungry for the Shield and as the captain it would be an honour to end the drought and bring home glory”.’
The Royal pack has showed immense power and strength to bulldoze over their opponents. The coaches Sanath Martis and Dushanth Lewke have perfected the age old Royal winning formula using their penetrative No.8 and tough as nails forwards to crush their opponents. The Royal rolling maul was like an unstoppable juggernaut grinding through this season to give its majority of points on the scoreboard to help the blue and gold men to clinch stellar wins.
“We are treating this game like any other game and we are confident of winning the Bradby Shield,” said Lewke, who has been busy building a champion unit.
The Bradby Shield has not always been predictable and countless times the underdogs have risen from the ashes to spellbind the spectators and the scripts have been rewritten at the conclusion of a match. Such is the magic and splendor of this encounter which is to unfold the next weekend at the Lions’ den in Pallekele. This time it’s going to be quite a game as both teams are coming into the pitch undefeated from their tournament games. Will the Royalists superstar forwards steal the show or will the fancy footwork and agility of the Trinitians dominate?
Royal College squad: Banuka Gamage (Captain), Keshan Peiris (VC), Akash Iddawela, Chandula Jayasundara, Supun Warnakulasooriya, Gayal Jayasinghe, Shawket Lahir, Ashok Vijaykumar, Umesha Madushan, Nikhila Gunadheera, Gawesh Yapa, Harith Lokugamage, Ayesh Maduranga, Ovin Askey, Sabith Feroze, Andrew de Silva, Sachin Gamage, Vinith Gunawardena, Ayendra Subasinghe, Aerosh Elikewela, Ishfaaq Nazeer, Pasindu Amarasinghe, Tahiru Gunasekera, Muhammed Nabeel, Sasitha Siyath, Bhanuka Rathnayake.
By Aubrey Kuruppu
This coming Saturday’s Bradby opener at the Pallekele Stadium promises to be a mouth-watering contest between Trinity led by Isuru Rangala and Royal captained by Bhanuka Gamage.
Having come out on top over the past four years, the home team, obviously, would like to edge closer to that all-time high of six successive successes recorded by Trinity from 1952 to 1957.
Whether the Lions are on course is a different matter. Their preparations received a jolt and a shudder when a superbly fast, fighting Science College outfit almost deprived them of their unbeaten tag. To many, the referring was a bit confusing. It is alleged that the Kandy side committed a
Trinity College squad
professional foul and got away with it unpunished.
Be that as it may, Trinity comes into this game on top of a poor performance in the last one. On the other hand Royal had an indifferent game against the Dharmaraja College but came up with a stellar performance to devastate S. Thomas’ College. Could it be that, mentally, Royal is in a better place? But the Bradby Shield encounter is a different game and the unexpected happens when a team realizes that their schools glory is on the line.
Some of the positives for Trinity are that, the back line is doing well, the counter-attack is excellent, the forwards combine well with the backs, channels 13 and 14 are time and the ball is sent out to the wingers well. They also have a good kicking game. The reviews of a rugby giant from the ‘Respice Finem’ Institution are interesting.
“There seemed to be something wrong with the fitness levels which are normally good. So many as four players suffered cramps. Trinity didn’t pick up their game in the second half asis their wont. Trinity were given a tough time by the Thomian forwards in the scrums, and the Royal pack is heavier.”
Trinity did well in the lines out against science even winning Science College ball on some occasions. However, their work in the scrums was short of the standard set in the earlier games. Quite apart from looking a little vulnerable in the second half of the Science game, the frequent forays into their half by their opponents hint at a need to tighten their defence.
Royal’s forte has invariably been the rolling manual which they execute very well. The Rajans countered that with their blitz defence and the Trinitians are bound to take the cue from them.
Skipper Gamage apart, Royal’s three-quarters lack that little bit of excellence, that extra something. Their opponents possess a back division that has, at times, produced brilliant, fast, running rugby. Centres Rehan Weerakoon and Sachinta Dissanaike have combined well and have helped themselves to many tries with their incisive running.
Saragna Gunatilleka who doubles up as wing three quarter and full back has had a grand season, not only touching down but also putting them over. He has certainly been an asset. Flyhalf Thusila Perera collects well, reads the game adequately and then opens it up.
Skipper Isuru Rangala, the flanker, will go down in Bradby lore for that fantastic try he scored in last year’s game. Knowing his capabilities well, the Royalists are bound to give him close attention. Rukshan Dhammapala, the No.8, has had a couple of superb games.
Hooker Nethmal Sakalasuriya, prop Shalindra Alahakoon and Geeshan Pethiyagoda have feathered prominently in Trinity’s four wins. This being also a tournament game, both teams will be battling it out for the top spot in their group.
Trinity’s think-tank has shrouded their Bradby moves in total secrecy. The grape-vine has it that they are thinking of refigging the line up and making some positional changes. Thus, at the time of writing, the final lineup is far from clear.
Trinity College squad: Isuru Rangala (Captain), Sachintha Dissanaike (VC), Nethmal Sakalasooriya, Rayan Weerakoon, Thushika Perera, Sanushka Abeywickrama, Rahul Karunathilake, Dhirendra Ratwatte, Isuru Ratnayake, Manushka Wijethilake, Anjana Bandara, Rukshan Dhammapala, Dave Dias, Geshan Pethiyagoda, Ghazali Ismail, Ayesha Edirisinghe, Naween Davadson, Shaveen Ekanayake, Rashen Bandaranayake, Anuka Boyagoda, Rishane Madena, Melan Maliesh, Pasan Samarawickrama, Sanjana Sangasinghe, Saranga Gunathilake, Shemal Wijeywardene, James Peiris, Shalindra Alahakoon, Shadi Deane, Lashan Wijesuriya, Pubudu Amunuthuduwa, Keshawa Palayangoda, Rajith Samarasekara, Diluksha Dange, Aveesha Piyankara, Nathan Chan.