Schools rugby KOS poised to start
The school rugby season is set for another exciting denouement as the first match of the Milo Schools Knockout tournament gets under way on September 26, with a match between Wesley College and Kingswood College at the Royal College Sports Complex at 4.30 p.m.
The encounter will be the first of two to determine who will progress to the semi final stage of the President’s Trophy, with the other fixture being contested between St. Anthony’s College and Dharmaraja College the following day at the same venue.
The tournament’s defending champions Trinity College and the league champions Isipathana College automatically progressed to the competition’s semifinals after receiving walkovers in their preliminary round clashes.
The game between Kingswood and Wesley is sure to a closely-contested affair, while Dharmaraja go into their clash against St. Anthony’s with the confidence of having conquered the ‘B’ division title. In stark contrast, St. Anthony’s have had a lackluster ‘A’ Division campaign where they suffered eight losses and failed to register a single victory.
Trinity and Isipathana are standing at the two opposite ends of the President’s trophy draw and will be highly favoured to meet in the finals of the tournament. If this is indeed the case, then it will an ideal copportunity for Trinity to gain retribution over Isipathana, after they had the league title unceremoniously prised from their clutches by them.
It will also offer a chance for Trinity to defend the knockout crown they captured last year under Murad Ramzeen in a 21-10 triumph over Isipathana,
Four schools- St. Peter’s College, Royal College, S. Thomas’ College and Thurstan College- have as yet not opted to participate in this year’s tournament. The Sri Lanka Schools Rugby Football Association (SLSRFA) has responded to this decision with the threat of possible disciplinary action.
In the Premier Trophy segment of the tournament, Mahanama College and St. Sylvester’s College Kandy are through to the semifi- nal round of the competition. However, Prince of Wales will have to go up against C.W.W Kannangara MMV on October 2 and Ananda College will lock horns with perennial rivals Nalanda on October 3 for their slots in the semis.
Meanwhile in the Chairman’s trophy, St. Benedict’s will meet Lalith Athulathmudali College, Maliyadeva College will go up against another school from Kurunegala in St. Anne’s, St. John’s will face S. Thomas’ College Matale and Royal Panadura will clash with Piliyandala MMV.