77th Bradby Shield up for grabs today

By Shamseer Jaleel

Trinity College will go confident when they confront Royal College in their second leg of the 77th Bradby Shield encounter at the Royal Sports Complex today with a lead of 3 points earned in the first leg win at Pallekelle two weeks back.

Kick-off is at 4:15 p.m.

The Under 16 encounter will be played for the Simithrarachchi Trophy where Trinitians are having 5 points lead looks favoured to pull it off with a cracking outfit which remained unbeaten from last season under their watchful Head Coach, Priyantha Gunarathne. The Under 16 encounter will be kicked off at 2:30 p.m.

Royal all the way proved to be the better side on field and paper but they were humbled in the second half comeback by the Lions. They were shell shocked and did not have an answer for the Trinity onslaught which was unexpected. After trailing 0/10 in the initial Lion stormed back through 2 penalties and a converted try to pull the game in their favour in sensational style at a packed stadium with over 10,000 spectators. The outfit from Reid Avenue will be all out to bounce back under their Head Coach Dushantha Lewke in a high pressure game.

A lead of just 3 points is nothing as the Lions will be more watchful as in the past and history the side which has gone down in the first leg bounced back to take the Shield away. They will not take anything lightly. It’s a pressure game more for the home team than the lads from Kandy.

Randul Senanayake will lead Royal with Phillio Calyanaratne and Tharusha Samarakoon as their leading players to watch out for. Meanwhile Trinity will be led by Attaab Manzil. Thisanga Dissanayake, Chamendra Dhanapala, Rushen Bandaranayake, Anuhas Kodituwakku and Shan Althaf will be the ones who could change the game in no time.

Trinity is leading the Bradby tally with 39 wins while Royal got 35 under their belt with 2 of the encounters ending in tie.

Trinity: Thenuk Fernando, Dehan Watagoda, Senula Alexander, Ravin Illangaratne, Venuka Kumarage, Chamendra Dhanapala, Harith Samaraweera, Thisanga Dissanayake, Rushen Bandaranayake, Shan Althaf, Sachindu Wanasekara, Anuhas Kodithuwakku, Lakindhu Herath, Abidh Jameel and Attaab Manzil (Capt.)

Stand by: Senitha Karavita , Yasiru Ariyawansha, Jeywin Samarakoon, Nisith Kumarasinghe, Hamdan Faizal, Usmaan Safraz, Chamod Dehigama, Murad Raizan, Sharaynth Sathiskmar, Jayageeth Basnayake and Upek Gammudeli.

Head Coach Fazil Marija, Forwards Coach Buddhika Thalagampola, Trainer Tharaka Algama, Physio Madushanka Seneviratne, and Rugby Manager/MIC Dulanjaya Abeywickrema.

Royal: Kavinash Srikanth, Afeef Farouk, Thineth Gamage, Yehan Weerasooriya, Buwaneka Senanayaka, Ayyash Shiyam, Yovindu Ethugala, Thanvir Hassen, Shimak Safeek, Thivain Perera, Disas Pathirana, Randul Senanayaka (Capt.), Duljaya Gamanayaka, Charuka Senavirathna and Philio Calyanarathna. 

Stand by Naqeeb Mohomed, Abdurrahman Ajmal, Gesandu Wijewaradana, Pabasara Samarakoon, Savistha Fernando, Amika Samarasingha, Nabeel Yahiya, Didula Jayasuriya, Shahid Mohideen and Binuda Malalagama.

Head Coach Dushantha Lewke, Three quarter Coach Radhika Hettiarachchi, Trainer Vishwamithra Jayasinghe, Physio Kavishka de Silva and MIC Aruna Shantha.