OLD THOMIANS' RUGBY FOOTBALL UNION

S. Thomas' College Vs Royal College - 2009 (STC - 33 : RC - 37)
played on Friday, the 24th April 2009 at the Big Club Grounds STC ML.

Royal and S. Thomas’ will herald in the 2009 schools rugby season today, with the fixture expected to generate a lot of interest in terms of how the two schools will cope with the new rules introduced to rugby union by the IRB.

The match this year will be of significance for both schools for two reasons. The prime reason why the match comes under the spotlight is because it marks the first occasion that Royal and S. Thomas’ scrum down in their annual rugby fixture at Mount Lavinia. The other is that these two teams are the first Sri Lankan schools to experience playing the game in keeping with the new rules introduced to rugby.

According to the President, Society of Rugby Referees in Sri Lanka (SRRSL) Dilroy Fernando, the new rules in rugby union allow teams to wheel the scrum 90 degrees and shove their opponents sans restrictions, regarding distance, when engaged in a scrum.

Fernando said that school rugby matches this season will be played in keeping with rules applicable to Under-20 rugby. "Another significant change is that each half will comprise 40 minutes of playing time. Also, the non participating players from both sides need to maintain a distance of five metres from a scrum," explained Fernando, who is expected to officiate in today’s match which is played for the Michael Guneratne Trophy.

S. Thomas’ coach Jivan Gunatilake opined that the new rules would help the players when making a transition from school rugby to club rugby. "As you know, there wasn’t a go between where rules were concerned for schools and clubs. The new rules will certainly favour the forwards game, especially during scrum time. These changes were long overdue. The old rules stifled the game of most schoolboys," said Gunatileke, an old boys of S. Thomas’ and a former Sri Lanka youth rugby captain, who led Sri Lanka to its only World Cup in the rugby union.

Royal College assistant coach Bilal Yusuf commenting on the new rules said, "the new rules will certainly favour a team like Royal College because it has a strong pack. We are looking at dominating forwards play this season. As for the new rules stretching each session to 40 minutes, this could see teams possessing fitness and stamina prevailing over others. Royal is up to that too."

Gunatileke said that elaborate arrangements had been made to host this year’s rugby fixture between the two schools.

Teams: S. Thomas’ from: Amrith Anrado, Anjula de Silva, Roshenka Kodithuwakku, Janit Jayasuriya, Sandeep Jayawardene, Asela Kohana, Jeewaka Hewawitharana, Rajindra Gunasekere, Asitha Wijesinghe, Shavin Kapuwatte (Captain), Arjun Manoharan, William Rudra, Anurudhdha Wilwara, Sudharshan Muthuthantri, Jeremy Fernando

Royal from: Nikila Senanayake, Udara de Silva, Asela Dassanayake, Ranga Perera, Shehan Pathirana, Chilanka Sudaraka, Asitha Bandaranayake, Hamza Hassen, Akil Satuk, Naren Dhason (Captain), Ranithra Chandraratne, Shamil Ahmed, Duminda Attygalle, Chamara Dabare, Shabir Mohamed.

One of the most looked forward to confrontations in the schools rugby calendar is the clash between Royal College, Colombo and S. Thomas College, Mount Lavinia for the Michael Gunaratne Trophy which will be worked off at the S. Thomas College Grounds, Mound Lavinia today.

Rugby of a very high standard

The Michael Gunaratne Trophy was offered for competition between the two schools in 1962 and since then this encounter has produced rugby of a very high standard especially during the last two decades including several memorable moments.

In 1989 in a closely fought out game Thomian prop forward Mark Ratnayake fired across a 35 metre penalty to give them a 3-nil win and in the following year the lads from Mount Lavinia retained the trophy with a convincing 13-0 win.

In 1991 the Thomians led by Charya de Saram crushed Royal by 22-nil at the Sugathadasa Stadium to register the highest score by the Thomians in the series.

In the following year the Royalists wrested back the trophy with a 12-10 victory in a close game but in the following year surrendered the trophy to the Thomians who triumphed 10-5.

Rain-marred game

In 1994, in a rain-marred game the Royalists edged out Thomians by 5 points to 3 but in the following year the Thomians wrested back the trophy by emerging victorious by 8 points to nil.

In 1996, Royal regained the trophy with a hard fought 15-10 win while in the year (1997) the game turned out to be a kicking duel between the two place kickers Ahamed Rahaman (S. Thomas') and Royalist Rananja Gonaduwa, who fired three penalties each with the match ending in a nine-all draw.

The 1998 match turned to be a thriller. The scores road 16-all three minutes before the final whistle when a move begun by flanker Pavithra Fernando in mid field ended with centre Kishan Samarasinghe scoring under the posts to give Rananja Gonaduwa an easy kick at goal to give Royal a 23-16 win.

In 1999, Dinesh Rahim's Royalists came up with a gallant display to score a grand 26-12 win over the more fancied Thomians. In the year 2000, the Thomians led by burly Gavin Jayasekera wrested back the trophy after a lapse of five years by edging out Royal by 14-11.

Dazzling display of open rugby

In 2001, the Royalists turned in a dazzling display of open rugby to score a smashing 30-nil win at Longden Place and in the following year Zulki Hamid's invincible Royalists ran riot at Reid Avenue to score a runaway 39-3 win to notch up the highest score in the series and in the following year Royal's full back Shehab Bahudeen emerged the hero by firing across four penalties and scoring a try to give them a 17-6 victory at Havelock Park and in 2004 the lads from Reid Avenue made in four in a row by emerging triumphant by 18-8.

In 2005, after being led 0-5 midway in the first half the formidable Thomians led by No. 8 Namal Rajapaksa came back storming to score a smashing 20-5 win to wrest back the trophy after a lapse of four years.

In 2006, in a mud larker's game at Reid Avenue Royal led by Chamika Sandaruwan scored a runaway 35-nil win to regain the trophy.

The lads from Reid Avenue emerged victorious by 22-18 and 22-5 in the last two years to retain the Gunaratne Trophy for the third successive year.

The controversial inter-schools rugby season kicks off due to the timely intervention of President Mahinda Rajapaske with the clash between traditional rivals Royal and S. Thomas’ scheduled to be played at Mt. Lavinia today. The curtain raiser of the tournament encounter will also be contested for the Michael Gunaratne trophy.

It will be a sigh of relief for the rugby playing schools who were unsure of what was taking place or going to happen with most of the teams making preparation for the new rugby season as early as November last year.

They were almost left in the lurch when the Sri Lanka Schools Rugby Football Association (SLSRFA) was taken to Courts at the eleventh hour which saw the SLSRFA deciding to scrap the tournament.

So what a way to get the tournament moving with a clash between the traditional rivals which no doubt is going to be a morale booster no matter who comes out as the winner.

Nevertheless it is assured that neither of the teams is not going to bow down easily.

The home team will be looking forward as in the last season to start off on a winning note. But the scales are in favour of a Royal win.

According to information filtering out of the school camps, the Reid Avenue boys led by fly half Naren Dhason are oozing with talent, possessing nine coloursman and two Sri Lanka youth players while the seaside school boys led by fly half Shaveen Kapuwatte also posses five coloursman.

Royal boast of a strong pack which includes the two Sri Lanka youth players, namely, Kalana Amarasinghe and Hasthika Bandaranayake. Added to that they will have the services of seasoned campaigners in skipper Dhason his deputy Nikira Senanayake, Shamir Fajudeen, Udara de Silva, Ranga Perera, Duminda Attygalle, Shamil Ahamed, Nabeel Faizer and Shailendra Chandrasekeran.

The Thomians’ on the other hand will be depending on their skipper Shaveen Kapuwatte along with his four senior players Janik Jayasuriya, Laknath Gunasekera, Asela Kohana and Jewaka Hewawitharana to deliver the goods along with some of their up and coming youngsters who have to rally around them.

Royal who won the game last year convincingly 22-5 with it winning the Michael Gunaratne trophy for the third year will go all out to make it a four in a row. S. Thomas’ who on the other hand last won the trophy in the year 2005 under the leadership of Namal Rajapakse will be hoping to break the jinx.

This will be 47th clash and of the 46 encounters played so far Royal are leading with 24 wins as against 17 to the Thomians’ with the rest drawn. The tournament will be contested by ten teams which includes defending champs Kingswood, St Peter’s, Trinity, Isipathana, Royal, S. Thomas’, St Joseph’s, Mahanama, St Anthony’s and Dharamrajah.

Royal College survived a fierce second half rally from their traditional rivals S. Thomas’ College to register a thrilling 37 points to 33 victory in their 47th annual inter school rugby encounter worked off at Mount Lavinia yesterday.

Royal College also retained the Michael Gunaratne Trophy for the fourth successive year while collecting their points from three goals, two tries and two penalties. The Thomians who were trailing 7-31 at half time came back strongly in the second half and responded with three goals, one penalty goal and one try.

Royal also increased their overall tally to 25 victories and came closer to recording the highest total in the series which still stands at 39-3 which was registered in 2002 under the captaincy of Zulki Hamid.

Even then this was a fantastic effort from the Royal outfit who were coming out for the first time this season. They got off to one of the most spectacular starts that they could ever dream of by building up a 21-nil lead within the first ten minutes of play and a further 31-7 lead at the short whistle. The indications were quite clear that Royal were heading towards a comprehensive victory in the series with the home side looking rather dejected following their shock start. However in a dramatic turn of events S. Thomas’ College came back magnificently to create a great amount of opportunities before going down fighting in a close encounter.

Not only the Thomians recovered from their first half debacle but they also came within just one try from snatching what would have been a memorable triumph at the end. But eventually Royal College who handled the pressure well and held their nerves during a tense last few seconds under fading light were able to emerge victorious.

Royal College earlier looked set for a convincing victory while scoring three superb tries through full back Shabir Mohamed, prop forward Nikira Senanayake and skipper Naren Dhason.

Hooker Udara de Silva went over for another try mid way in the first half with centre Duminda Attygalle failing with the conversion having earlier converted the previous three tries.

Royal College then paid the penalty for some complacency at this stage as S Thomas’ College recovered well to score their first try in the 30th minute through second row forward Janith Jayasuriya. But Royal further increased their lead with prop forward and vice captain Nikira Senanayake scoring another try shortly before half time with Attygalle adding the extra points.

S. Thomas’ College then enjoyed their best period in the match soon after the interval where they dominated the proceedings while scoring twice through Janith Jayasuriya and winger Mohamed Raila. Their chances of making a game of it further increased when they were awarded a penalty try following a clear obstruction.

Winger de Silva converted all three tries and S. Thomas’ College had reduced the margin to a solitary try 26-31. Royal College then decided to make some vital replacements and substitute full back Shailendra Chandrasekera responded immediately by firing two superb penalties under tremendous pressure.

In between Thomian full back Jeremy Fernando produced a dazzling performance to touch down after dummying several defenders that stunned the entire Royal camp. Referee: Dilroy Fernando.

Royal after taking a healthy lead of 31-7 at the breather underwent some anxious moments before pulling off a close 37-33 win over traditional rivals S. Thomas’ in their opening inter-school rugby encounter at Mt Lavinia yesterday. Royal accumulated their points through three goals, two tries and two penalties. S. Thomas’ had four goals and a try.

The encounter which was also played for the Michael Gunaratne Trophy saw the Royalist retaining it for the fourth successive year and also increased their tally to 25 wins as against 17 to S. Thomas’ from the 47 encounters that have been played so far.

Royal who came into the game as hot favourites, lived up to the word as they meant business from the time referee Dilroy Fernando gave the green light for the game to begin.

They got down to business when the game was just three minutes old and then put up a healthy 21-0 lead within the first ten minutes. It looked as if they were going to record a convincing win but it was not to be as the Thomians fought back with tooth and nail and they almost upset the Royal apple cart.

Royal’s scoring spree in the first half began through full back Shabbir Mohamed followed by two more tries by prop forward Nikira Senanayake and skipper Naren Dhason in the fifth and seventh minutes with centre Duminda Attygalle adding the extra points.

Eight minutes later they increased the lead further through a try by hooker Udara de Silva before Thomian second row Janik Jayasuriya - who played a fine game - went over for a try. But Royal increased their lead in the dying stages with a try through Nikira Senanayake.

The turn around saw the Thomians coming into the game with a different plan and shocked their opponents with a barrage of tries which began in the third minute.

They continued their attack and had the Royalist in shambles making them just watch. Janik Jayasuriya who went over for the first try scored again in the 19th minute which was his third of the match.

Another try, one minute later by winger Mohamed Raila with winger Anjula de Silva converting these, saw them cutting down the lead. Royal in contrast was able to only put over a penalty.

With the score reading 34-26 in favour of the Royalists they were in a for shock when Thomian full back Jerome Fernando (who played a die hard game in this half) went over for a try evading several defenders and de Silva added the extra points to make it 33-34.

It was Shailendra Chandrasekera (the replacement full back for Roya)l who ensured them victory having earlier put over a penalty when he responded with a penalty offered two minutes away from the finish to the relief of the Royal supporters. Nevertheless hats off to the two teams who gave their supporters their monies worth by dishing out top class rugby. In the end the Royalists were able to brush aside the Thomian grit that was simply unlucky.

Number eight Dulanjana Wijesinghe guided Wesley to an easy 25 points (one goal, three tries, one penalty) to 5 (one try) win over traditional rivals Thurstan in their inter-school rugby match at Longdon Place yesterday.

The match was also played for the late Diyanesh Rajaratnam trophy. Diyanesh was a old boy of both Wesley and Thurstan who excelled in both cricket and rugby.

Dulanjana was in top form in his side’s first game of the season as he was responsible in scoring all the four tries, after they had taken a lead of 10-0 at the breather. Full back Mohamed Imran converted one of these tries and also put over the penalty.