COLOMBO :Royal College secured a resilient 15-05 victory over Trinity College, delivering a superlative defensive display in the first leg of the 79th Bradby Shield encounter at the Lions’ Den in Pallekele.
The 79th edition of the prestigious Bradby Shield kicked off in front of a packed crowd at Pallekele, where the newly crowned league champions Trinity College welcomed their fierce rivals, Royal College. The visitors arrived determined to reclaim the coveted shield, which they surrendered last season after holding it for a decade
Trinity was handed an early opportunity when Royal conceded a penalty for a tip tackle. However, playmaker Shan Althaf was unable to find his range, sending the kick astray. That miss seemed to ignite Royal, who quickly found their rhythm by recycling possession at pace and stretching the Trinity defense across the field. A long, flat pass from Yuwan Pathirana released Senuja Ranasinghe, who in turn created space for skipper Amika Samarasinghe to dive over in the corner. (TCK 00–05 RC)
Moments later, the Royal forwards asserted their dominance. First through a rolling maul and then a series of pick-and-drives, they relentlessly punched holes in the Trinity defense. Their pressure was rewarded when No. 8 Disas Pathirana bulldozed his way over the line. Mohomed Shimak added the conversion to silence the home crowd and extend the lead. (TCK 00–12 RC)
Royal’s momentum was briefly checked when winger Dinuka Perera was shown a yellow card for a dangerous aerial challenge on Trinity fullback Abdul Malik, following a TMO review. Despite enjoying the numerical advantage, Trinity was unable to add points during the ten-minute spell.
They eventually found their breakthrough from a scrum near the 40-meter mark, Trinity executed a slick move as Shan Althaf looped around to open space before sending Ammaar Manzil through a gap. Manzil drew in the defense before releasing a perfectly timed offload to Abdul Malik, who sold a sublime dummy and raced over to score the hosts’ first try.
Royal, however, responded almost immediately. A knock-on from the restart by Minula Yaddehige gifted the visitor’s territory, and when the Trinity defense strayed offside, Mohomed Shimak calmly slotted over a penalty to restore Royal’s 10-point cushion heading into halftime.
Half Time: Trinity College 05 (1T) – Royal College 15 (2T,1C,1P)
The Lions from the Hill Country came out firing after the break and came agonizingly close to scoring, only to be denied by a massive defensive effort from Royal flanker Senuja Ranasinghe, who held up the ball to prevent a certain try. Royal’s discipline, however, faltered once again as Ishen Hiran was shown a yellow card for a dangerous high tackle, handing Trinity another numerical advantage.
Despite dominating both possession and territory, Trinity failed to convert their chances as their attacking moves lacked precision, while Royal’s defensive wall stood tall under relentless pressure.
Royal’s woes continued when Yuwan Pathirana was sent to the sin bin for striking Shan Althaf in the face, reducing the visitors to 14 men yet again. Still, Trinity’s lacklustre execution meant they could not make the most of the advantage.
With the clock winding down, Royal shifted tactics, slowing the game and executing their defensive structure to perfection. Their forwards then had a golden opportunity to seal the contest late on, piling pressure deep inside Trinity’s 22. However, they were penalized just inches short of the line, leaving the game to finish without further points.
In the end, the Royal Tuskers walked away with a crucial 10-point victory—a significant advantage to carry into the decisive second leg of the Bradby, scheduled for September 6th at the Royal Complex.
Full Time: Trinity College 05 (1T) – Royal College 15 (2T,1C,1P)
Swisstek Perfect Player of the Match: Amika Samarasinghe (Royal College)
Points Breakdown
Trinity College 05
Abdul Malik 1T
Royal College: 15
Amika Samarasinghe 1T, Disas Pathirana 1T, Mohomed Shimak 1C,1P
courtesy : The PAPARE
