Close game expected between Royal and St. Anthony’s

The Singer Rugby League 2017 will reach its halfway mark when the competing teams get a well-earned two-week break before the commencement of the contest’s second round on 22 April. 

Trinity is the only team to finish the first round unbeaten while leading their group. Trinity are followed by an improved Wesley College, S. Thomas’ College and Zahira College. Isipathana lead the other group, only losing to St. Peter’s College. They are followed by Royal College, St. Joseph’s College and St. Peter’s College. Zahira look the most threatening side in the league, closely followed by Wesley and the Joes.   

Dharamaraja College, who are already out of the race for a place in the first four of their group, will want to prove a point when they meet the unsettled Peterites in Nittawela. Although the Peterites beat Isipathana they did not produce their expected high standard of rugby. They were far below standard against the Joes in their last outing. Playing away in Kandy will be tough for the Bambalapitiya lads. Selvaraja and Theekshana will be their main players to watch out for in Kandy. Former Isipathana player and Kandy Team Manager Kapila Silva, who is coaching the Rajans, will want to prove a point by ending things on a winning note. 

St. Joseph’s College should not have much difficulty in overcoming last-placed D.S. Senanayake in their encounter in Welisara. Gemuna Cheethiya, Chathura Seneviratne and Sachith Silva will be the stars to watch out for the Darley Road school. 

The Antonians too will be playing their last home game in the first round when they confront Royal, who are placed second in their group. A win for the Rajans and Antonians could upset the apple cart in this group with the Peterites barely holding on to fourth position. 

For St. Anthony’s, Shabeer, Maduwantha and skipper Amarasinghe will need to play key roles if they are to topple the Royalists. Royal meanwhile will depend heavily on their skipper Ovin Askey as well as Shabith Feroze and Hamza to take them through in this outing.

April 8 

Dharamara vs. St. Peter’s                Nittawela Stadium 

D.S. Senanayake vs. St Joseph’s                    Welisara (Navy grounds) 

St. Anthony’s vs. Royal College                Bogambara Stadium