CHRIS DHAMBARAGE
COLOMBO – Wesley College will look to register their first win this season when they confront St. Anthony’s College in their Inter-Schools Under-19 Division One League Rugby Tournament match at the Royal Sports Complex in Colombo on Sunday.
The Wesleyites have played some good rugby this season, but they have been rather unfortunate to lose a couple of very close games, which has also shattered their level of confidence.
The Antonians will be coming out after last week’s break, and they will be determined to create another major upset having already toppled the last year league runners-up St. Joseph’s (22-12) in the curtain-raiser match of the tournament.
Dynamic fly half Sahan Keerthisiri will lead the Antonians with prop forward Saduka Athukorala as his deputy.
The lads from Katugastota will have some classy players of the calibre of Jude Realano, Roshen Kumara, Yasiru Gamage, Tyron Mariyadas and Sahan Kotelawala in their outfit, each of them able to attack with lightning speed.
St. Anthony’s have produced some outstanding players over the years such as Laxman Ekanayake, Priyantha Ekanayake, Maurice Joachim, Leroy Fonseka, Malith Silva and Imran Bisthamin who had gone on to represent the country.
The Antonians are coached by former Isipathana College, CR and FC and Kandy SC, and current national player, Srinath Sooriyabandara.
Meanwhile, Wesley will be captained by Skipper and prop forward Kaveesh Jaymon and the two senior players in the team are Vice-Captain and Number Eight Chamod Nimsara and centre three quarter Nithila Rodrigo.
Last year the Wesleyites had a successful run, recording three wins against Vidyartha College, Science College and Dharmaraja College, drew against St. Peter’s College before going down to the ultimate champions Isipathana in a closely contested game.
The teams St. Anthony’s (From): Sahan Keerthisiri (Captain), Saduka Athukorale, Thisara Galanga, Sahan Kotelawala, Yasiru Gamage, Rakesh Pillai, Abdul Rasith, Akesh Jayawansa, Senuka Kotuwila, Oshan Gunaratne, Roshen Kumara, Ravinda Welagedera, Tyron Mariyadas, Omitha Dissanayake, Amrikhan Amiad, Sasindu Nethsara, Jude Realano, Dashintha Amarakoon, Ravindu Gregory, Agitha Munasinghe, Shevin Fonseka, Deshan Liyanage, Radeer Perera, Sudeesh Rodrigo, Thalith Aludeniya, F. M. M. Faraz, Gaveen Herath, Minal Kumara, Chamalka Kulatunge, Chirantha Fernando.
Wesley (From): Kaveesh Jayman (Captain), Nelith Hapugalle, Ashen de Silva, Muad Suhail, Sabith Musheen, Naheel Jayah, Abdullah Siddeek, Pawan Thirangama, Sanruk Gamage, Wahid Hassen, Hamdan Safraz, Aathim Fazly, Naham Hemachandra, Thalha Anas, Shaheer Hassim, Shem Mendis, Keshara Rahul, Yousuf Fazly, Sandul Gammanpila, Chamod Nimsara, Suhaib Nizam, Mohammed Fawaz, Adeep Yousuf, Kaiser Lye, Rehan Sahid, Darrian de Zilva, Senura Nisal, Dilon de Silva, Danush Dassanayaka, Jazeel Zuhuri, Aron Corea, Nithila Rodrigo, Nilthara Mendis, Matheesha Silva, Mahathir Raban, Kaveesha Dilhara.
