OLD THOMIANS' RUGBY FOOTBALL UNION

Rugby: S.Thomas' Mount Lavinia began the rugby season in style when they outplayed the much fancied Trinity outfit by 19 points (two tries, one drop goal and two penalties) to 15 (Three tries) in their school rugger match played at Longden Place yesterday.

The win enabled them to regain the Canon R. S. de Saram Shield after three years. The Thomians last won the shield under the leadership of Ashen Karthelis the present Sri Lanka flanker.

Trinity started off impressively and seemed to dominate proceedings with their brand of rugby. Thomians opened scoring in the tenth minute of the game when their full back M.Thammanagama put over an easy penalty. But Trinity struck back four minutes later when centre Vennon Armstrong pierced the Thomian defence to score an unconverted try. Trinity had the better of exchanges in the first half.

The Kandy school stretched the lead further through a try by fly half Kenneth Jacob which also went unconverted. Just before lemons the Thomians came back stroming when fly half Sanka de Livera Tennekoon broke off and covered good ground to touch down under the post with Thammanagama adding the extra points with an easy conversion. At half time the scores read 10-all.

On resumption Thomian who did not impress in the first half suddenly found their fluency. They drove into rucks and mauls and were virtually based in Trinity territory. The Trinitians trying to break off the shackles made mistakes.

The Thomians went on to consolidate their position further with full back Thammanagama firing over three penalties.

During the dying stages of the match Trinity came back into the Thomian territory and scored off a push over try by prop Sathya Ranatunga which went unconverted.

S. Thomas’ regained the Canon R.S. de Saram trophy after three years when they defeated arch rivals Trinity by 19 points (one goal, one drop goal, two penalties) to 15 (three tries) in their inter-school rugby encounter at Longdon Place yesterday, ending Trinity’s promotion to the top division on a sour note. This was also a tournament game organized by the Sri Lanka Schools Rugby Association (SLSRA).

The two teams shared ten points at the end of the short whistle. Although the final tally was just four points in favour of the Thomians, it was they who dominated the proceedings in the second half. The Thomians drew first blood in the tenth minute when full back Manjith Thamaragama booted over a penalty. The day belonged to him as well as he contributed 14 points towards the win.

The Thomians made the first move. However it lasted for only four minutes as Trinity took the lead through a right corner flag try by centre Kenon Amstrong. The Kandy lads increased their lead 15 minutes later through a try by fly half Kenneth Jacob. with. Both conversions however went astray.

Not to be outdone, the Thomians made some sporadic moves and succeeded with a peach of a try through fly half Sanka de Livera who ran over 40 meters to score under the posts. Thamaragama added the extra points. The two teams changed sides sharing ten points each.

The second half saw the Thomians giving the Trinitians, who were off colour, a tough time. They took the lead through a fourth minute penalty put over by Thamaragama, He kept up the good work by booting over two more penalties in the 11th and 37th minutes. The Trinitians had no chance as their opponents dominated play and were in their territory for most part of this half. Trinity made only one move in this session which came in the dying stages. A Trinity prop forward succeeded in penetrating the Thomian defence for a try. But it was too late as referee Orville Fernando blew no side after the conversion was fluffed by the Trinity kicker.