CHRIS DHAMBARAGE
COLOMBO – Two unbeaten teams, Isipathana College and D. S. Senanayake College will face off in a decisive Inter-Schools Under-19 Division One League Rugby Tournament fixture at Havelock Park on Friday. The kick-off is at 4.15 p.m.
Both teams have made tremendous progress with Isipathana recording three wins and D. S. Senanayake recorded two wins and now they are set for a rousing battle in this Group 2A match of the Division One Segment ‘A’ Tournament.
For D. S. Senanayake, it is a big moment, no doubt indeed, as they look to reaffirm their status as one of the most promising teams having made their re-entry into ‘A’ Division rugby from this season.
But for the defending champions Isipathana, it will be just another day at the office as they will be determined to maintain their unbeaten record and notch up their fourth successive victory of the tournament.
The lads from Havelock Park have dished out some fascinating trademark rugby this season where they have looked almost unstoppable with three successive victories over Kingswood College (32-8), S. Thomas’ College (29-20) and St. Joseph’s College (28-18) respectively.
D. S. Senanayake may have not displayed the same kind of flamboyance like their opponents in their previous matches, but they have had their own share of brilliance on the field, which they would like to carry forward to this important game.
They produced the first hat-trick of tries for the current season when their speedy wing three quarter Janidu Wijerathna masterminded a 23-19 victory against St. Anthony’s College at the Pallekele Stadium in Kandy.
Last week, Skipper Jayathu Rajarathna produced a repeat performance by scoring three magnificent tries as D. S. Senanayake pulled off another stunning 29-20 victory over Wesley College at the Royal Sports Complex in Colombo.
However, Isipathana will start favourites because of their more experienced line-up and for their individual brilliance where players of the calibre of Skipper Naveen Kanishka, Rinesh Silva, Hashen Randimal and Shahid Zumri can penetrate any defence.
