Isipathana looks confident to regain Singer League

By Shamseer Jaleel

Isipathana College, last year’s Singer school league runner-up and knock out champions, looks a strong outfit to regain the Singer Schools Under 20 league this year around. 

The second round games will kick off on 27 May with eight teams moving forward in Division 1 of the Cup championship. They are Isipathana, S. Thomas’, Science, Royal, Trinity, St. Peter’s, Wesley and St. Anthony’s.

Isipathana dishing out running rugby looks the most dangerous outfit with a speedy three quarter line and equally mobile forwards under their belt. Their loose play is far above the rest with quick decision making power which puts them on top compared to the rest of the teams this season. 

Skipper of the outfit KusalIndunil, SandunRankothge and Chamod Fernando, all staracts, have lifted the spirit of the school. They are coached by one of the best in the country, Nilfer Ibrahim, with his ample expertise in school, club and national level, and he has guided the Pathana lads to untouchable status this season. He is well supported by Terence Henry, the former Wesley, Havies and national prop forward. Isipathana will kick off the second round with a game against Wesley.

Thomians after many years’ lapse in playing some cohesive rugby leads one of the groups in the first round and will meet the KatugastotaAntonians. Led by Pandul De Silva and ably supported by Malinda Deshapriya, Naveen Henankananamge and SachithraJayathilake, they have a good combination. They are coached by Laga and supported by Dinesh Kumara. They should march through without any trouble until they meet Science and Isipathana in round 2. Thomians last won the Singer League in the year 2000 under Gavin Jayasekara. Though they won the Singer League, they lost the Milo President’s Trophy knockout final to Kingswood.

Trinity College, led by national youth playerRahul Karunathilake, after two close defeats to Royal and the Thomians will be locking horns with the dark horse of the tournament, Science College, at the Pallekelle Stadium on 28 May. This will be a very contest as Trinity too is hitting the peak after their second leg win against Royal two weeks ago. Science who only lost to the Pathana lads will be at their best with their fast running three quarter line well matched by the “Lions”. Trinity is coached by former Kandy SC skipper and Sri Lanka flanker, Sean Wijesinghe, well supported by Saliya Kumara, another National Sevens player. The lads from MounLavinia are coached by AmilaChathuranga who has done an excellent job with limited funds.

Defending Singer League champions, Royal College will meet the Peterites in their first game in the second round, led by number 8 NikilaGunadheera. They have some excellent forwards but need to work on their three quarter line to the maximum. The Reid Avenue school is coached by SanathMartis, one of the best at school level. The Peterites are coached by one of their old boys, Colin Dinesh. Royal hold a slight edge over the Peterites.

In the plate segment Kingswood, Dharmaraja, D.S. Senanayake and St. Joseph’s will battle it out for a better performance in order to secure their chance of remaining in the Singer League Division I in 2017.