Isipathana juggernaut leaves opponents green with envy
Kushan Indunil (Capt)
Isipathana College, this season, posses a crack outfit, and have shown their ability to overrun the opponents they have met so far. True to their motto, “Strive with Determination”, they have prevailed over their opponents in dominant style, and are three matches away from regaining the League title after a lapse of two years. The ‘Green Shirts’, in recent times, could be called the ‘cradle of Sri Lanka Rugby’ without any doubt, for having produced the most number of National players, than all the other top schools put together. The hallmark of Isipathana’s style of Rugby is, a mobile pack blending well with their fleet-footed back line, to blitzkrieg their opponents into submission.
Isipathana’s proud Rugby history goes back 53-years to its inaugural kickoff in 1963. The game was introduced by Maurice de Abrew, then Vice President of Havelocks Sports Club. They recorded their first victory under Brian Ingram, when they overcame St. Anthony’s College Katugastota 8-3. Since then, Isipathana Rugby has come a long way to establish itself as the dominant force in the forefront of schools Rugby, with many Knockout, 7s and League titles under their belt. This season Isipathana is led by 5th-year coloursman and outside center Kushan Indunil. His deputy, Sumudu Rankothge, ‘his partner in crime’ as inside center make a lethal combination, that has pierced all the defences of the opponents they have confronted to date.
Sumudu Rankotge (VC)
Despite missing 11 players from last year, the ‘Green shirts’ have played as a well knit team this season, with no individual ‘stars’. In the back line, apart from Indunil and Rankothge, special mention should be made of half-back Dileeka Hettiarachchi, fly-half Randy Silva, fullback Gayan Wickremaratne and wing-threequarters Chamod Fernando and Ranidu Pramod. All of them possess exceptional speed, with sidesteps to wrong-foot their opponents. The Isipathana ‘8’ posses mobility, with a quicksilver third row of # 8 Vageesha Weerasinghe and wing forwards Devin Gunaratne and Sashmitha Fernando giving them the vital edge in the second phase. Props Lahiru Visvajith, Kaveesha Madushan, hooker Hasitha Mapitigama and locks Adeesha Weeratunga, Sudeera Dissnayake are no less outstanding, having proven their mettle in the current season.
Isipathana kicked-off their season with a bang, thrashing Dharmaraja College 61-15. They drubbed St. Anthony’s College 43-17. Next, Kingswood College were overpowered 53-3. They overcame St.Peters College 36-21. And in the final game of their Group, dubbed the ‘clash of the titans’, they met Science College who were also unbeaten prior to the clash. Isipathana overcame the toughest hurdle in their Group by prevailing over the Mt. Lavina school by 29 points to 23. In the Cup Championship Round, Isipathana stamped their class by outclassing Wesley 43-8. At ‘lemons’ they led 10-8 against a fighting ‘double blue’ outfit, but cut loose in the second half to post 33 points.
The Isipathana camp is fortunate to have the services of Nilufer Ibrahim for another season as their head coach. The former Kingswood, Kandy SC, Navy SC and Sri Lanka player has many tricks of the trade, and is doing yeoman service for Isipathana Rugby. “The present Isipathana outfit is full of new faces. We don’t have players of individual brilliance. But they play as a unit. We lost 11-players from the previous season, but yet, this new outfit, so far, has played brilliantly. We will concentrate on one match at a time,” Nilufer opined. His assistant coach Terrence Henry, is in charge of the forwards. The former Wesley, Havelocks SC, Navy SC and Sri Lanka player has molded the forwards into a fast and fighting outfit. In the remaining Cup Championship games, Isipathana will play Trinity, Royal and S.Thomas’.
The Isipathana 1st XV Rugby squad 2016:
Props: Lahiru Wiswajith, Kaveesha Madushan, Sharukh Manabarana, Danushka Madushanka, Vikash Vimadawa, Isuru Udayakumar.
Hookers: Kaveesha Madhushan, Hasitha Mapitigama, Piyum Ediriweera.
Locks: Lahiru Wiswajith, Sudeera Dissanayake, Adeesha Weeratunga, Ilusha Yasas, Vishan Adrian, Senesh Wijewardena, Danu Prasad.
Flankers:Devin Guneratne,Sashmitha Fernando,Vishan Adrian,Umesh Jayamanna,Nasran Nilamudeen,Vinoga Keshawa,Dinith Praveen.
No. 8: Vageesha Weerasinghe, Dinith Praveen.
Scrumhalf: Dileeka Hettiarachchi, Harith Bandara, Supun Tharusha.
Fly-half: Randy Silva, Manilka Sulakshana, Gayan Wickramaratne, Faeeq Jamaldeen.
Centers: Kushan Indunil (Captain), Sumudu Rankothge (Vice Captain), Nadeesh Chaminda
Wings: Chamod Fernando, Ranidu Pramod, Ahmed Anzie, Nadeesha Chaminda, Rizwan Naushad, Supun Tharusha, Sadun Avishka.
Full Back: Gayan Wickramaratne
