78th Bradby Shield Confident Trinity takes on Royal in lion’s den

Manoj Chief Guest

Regular skipper Anuhas Kodituwakku will miss out due to injury

Thisanga Dissanayake leads Trinity outfit

Thivain Perera Royal skipper

By Shamseer Jaleel

A packed house is expected on 7 September when Trinity College host Royal College in their 2nd Leg of the 78th Bradby Shield encounter at the Trinity College Rugby Stadium in Pallekelle.

Kick off is at 4.15 pm.

 Junior games from Under-12 will take place at the same venue from 1:20 p.m. onwards and the Under-16 encounter will be worked off for the Simithrarachchi Trophy at 2:40 p.m.

Out of the 77 encounters played so far Trinitians are leading with 39 wins while Royal took home the trophy 36 times and 2 encounters ending in draws in 1992 and 2016. Trinity regular skipper, Anuhas Kodituwakku will miss the second leg as well due to injury which will give their number 8, Thisanga Dissanayake to lead the outfit once more. Meanwhile Royal will be led by Thivain Perera.

Both teams are well-prepared and determined to put on a top performance in what promises to be a fiercely contested match. On paper Trinity hold slight edge playing at home plus 1 point lead in the First leg but Royal will never give up easily having safe kept the shield for the last 9 years in a row at Reid Avenue. Trinitian’s last win being in 2014 under Tarinda Ratwatte is a too long wait for the Lions though in between now and then 2 Bradby encounters were not played due to Covid plus one of them ending in a tie in 2016.

Royal (probable) starting XV

Thineth Gamage, Mohamed Naqeeb, Akira Yatawara, Yehan Weerasuriya, Buvanaka Senanayake, Yovun Ethugala, Senuja Ranasinghe, Ayyas Shiyam, Shimak Shafeek, Idris Farook, Amika Samarasinghe, Thivain Perera (captain), Disas Pathirana, Fahad Nazar and Nabeel Yehiya.

Head Coach Dushanth Lewke

Trinity (probable) starting XV

Senula Alexander, Dehan Watagoda, Yasiru Ariyawansa, Dinusha Peiris, Ravin Illangaratne, Nisith Kumarasinghe, Shayan Shatheeshkuar, Thisanga Dissanayake (captain), Udan Wijekoon, Shan Althaf, Safraz Usmaan, Minula Yaddalige, Murad Raizan, Udeesha Ratnayake and Yevan Hulangamuwa.

Head Coach Fazil Marija

 Referee Brayden Hudson (Australia)

ARs Aaqil Jamaldeen (Old Royalist) and Shakeel Ahmed (Old Trinitian)

Chief Guest Manoj Jayatissa

The 1985 Trinity College Hooker and skipper, Manoj Jayastissa will be the chief guest at this 78th Bradby Shield encounter.

Manoj who won his rugby colours in 83 was re-awarded in 84 and 85, he has a unique record as skipper for the Lions, playing 44 games in trout for 4 years in the Under 19 outfit. He was never dropped from the side.

His team too got some outstanding players such as his deputy skipper, Ikram Odayah a double Lion (Rugby and Boxing), triple Lion Thushara Weerasuriya (Cricket, Rugby and Athletics) and Pradeep Rodrigopille (Lion for Basketball).

Another feature of this outfit was that 1985 side produced skippers of 1986 (Senani Gunaratne), 1987 (Tyrelle Rajapakse), 1988 (Bindu Dandeniya).

Manoj also coached his Alma Mater later on was the Team Manager of the Ist XV outfit for number of years on a volunteer basis. In 1985 Bradby, Trinity outclassed Royal 18/9 at Bogambara but were edged out in the second leg at Longdon Place 3/4 but won the shield on aggregate. This outfit was coached by Alex Lazarus who was on his debut year as the Head Coach in 1985.

Trinity Squad of 1985

Manoj Jayantissa, Ikram Odayar , Senani Gunarathne, Ravi Ranasinghe, Bimal Fernando, Dhananjaya Jayakody, Bindu Dandeniya, Thushanra Weerasuriya, A.P Rodrigopille, Sean Wanigasekara, Roshan Karunarathne, Upul Dasanayake, Tyrell Rajapakse, Anura Rathnawardane, Praveen Perera, Steve Richardson, Ranga Gunasekara, Shah Dole, Steve Rabot, S Wijewardana, Mahesh Kalugampitiya, P Samsudeen, A Bogahalande

Head Coach Alex Lazarus