Playing For Pride And The Runners Up Place!
With the Cup and Bowl Champions already decided last week, three key trophy matches will be played tomorrow, while the Plate segment is yet to see its winner on Sunday!
As we head into the final week of the Dialog School's Rugby League, let it be known that the champions in two segments are already known, while the runners up race is still on. While the Plate segment is still open to see a winner, the Cup segment will have three trophy encounters as teams lock horns to settle unfinished business!
The General Deshamanya Denis Perera Memorial Trophy
While Trinity College were crowned the League Champions after a lapse of 38 years, they are yet to play against last year's champions St. Peter's College for the General Deshamanya Denis Perera Memorial Trophy.
Gen. Denis Perera is an old boy of St. Peter's College and served as Commander of the Sri Lankan Army from 1977 to 1981. Very notably, he is the founder of the Sri Lanka Women's Army Corps and Commando Regiment. He was called to rest in 2013 and the inaugural Trophy encounter was played the next year, which happens to be the last time Trinity beat St. Peter's, adding value to the rivalry which began in 1933.
Trinity, still searching for a win over St.Peter's
While Trinity as the League Champions are the favourites for this encounter, the Peterites will also look forward to use their heavy forwards to make inroads at Pallekale in the only encounter where both teams are coming off wins. Will Trinity show up all guns blazing with the Bradby in mind? We'll have to see that based on the team cards tomorrow but they will certainly not want to risk losing the unbeaten tag!
The Sidelines
The Major Milroy Fernando Trophy
This is definitely one of the most highly attended encounters soon after the Bradby, among two teams with the largest number of supporters in schools' rugby between Royal College and Isipathana College.
Played in memory of Major Milroy Fernando, an old boy of both colleges, he is the son of Colonel Dudley Fernando and brother of Dilroy Fernando, a veteran referee turned administrator in Asia Rugby. Major Milroy died in action in 1986, and his father inaugurated the trophy in memory of his son in true essence as an old boy of both colleges for their rivalry since 1965.
Isipathana looking to pull one last feather in the hat
While Isipathana are coming off two back to back defeats, they are the current holders of the Trophy and will look to defend it against a Royal side who are coming off a slender 1 point win against S.Thomas' last week. It's all for pride for the Green Machine, but for Royal, they too have a shot for the Runners Up place from a mathematical point of view, although the chance is slim.
The Sir Oliver Goonetilleke Shield
Played in memory of the first Ceylonese Governor General and Old Wesleyite, the Sir Oliver Goonetilleke Shield encounter (which was inaugurated in 2015) between Wesley College and S.Thomas' College at Havelocks is bound to be a very tight game as the winner will more likely end up as the League Runners Up!
Both teams are coming off very narrow defeats, one by 2 points in Pallekale and the other by a single point on home turf. The Wesleyites were last league runners up in 2002 (best placing as they have not won the League), while the Thomians achieved it last in 2016 after their defeat to Isipathana in the finals.
In a battle between a very offensive and defensive team, with the knack for counterattacking especially in the second half and it will really be a matter of a few points for either team, looking for a bonus point win the seal their position. While Wesley will look to play a good kicking game and gain the hard yards with their forwards, the Thomians cannot afford to lose their composure in their defence, especially when leading.
Wesley vs STC - who is hungerier for the Runners Up?
The Runners Up Scenarios
S.Thomas' (14 points) - If STC beat Wesley with a bonus point, they will be the runners up but if they don't get bonus point, they can still be placed second best even if Royal win a bonus point since the point difference favours STC.
Wesley (13 points) - If Wesley win with a bonus point, they are most likely to be the runners up on points difference even if Royal get a BP win but if they don't get the bonus point, they must hope Royal doesn't win with a BP.
Royal (13 points) - If the STC-Wesley game ends in a draw, any kind of win for Royal will push them to second place but in reality, they must win with a bonus point and hope neither STC or Wesley win with a BP since they have a -25 deficit.
Plate Championship Scenarios
Although the Plate segment was not described in detail in our previous writings, this is the only segment without a winner and here's how the forerunners stand a chance!
D.S. Senanayake (23 points) - A win over Kingswood is sufficient as the group toppers in the point table without any defeats in the plate segment matches.
St. Joseph's (20 points) - A bonus point win over Ananda will not be enough as they will require Kingswood to beat DS the next day.
Kingswood (18 points) - Even with a bonus point win over DS, it will not be enough as Ananda will have to create an upset over St. Joseph's and they will know depending on tomorrow's result, if they are still in contention on Sunday.