Dialog Schools Rugby Isipathana, S. Thomas’ eye spot in the final

BY M. Shamil Amit

Isipathana College, the newly crowned Dialog Schools Rugby league champions, will confront S. Thomas’ College in the first semi-final clash of the Dialog Schools Rugby knockout tournament scheduled to be played at Havelock Park at 4.15 p.m.
Isipathana come into the game as hot favourites having so far remained unbeaten this season but the boys by the sea have shown that they are a side to be reckoned with and will be looking forward to put their best foot ward to put in stiff resistance to their opponents.
Another interesting factor is that the Thomains have come out on top against the Pathanians on the previous three occasions the sides have faced each other in the knockout tournament.

Those three occasions came in the knockout final in 1989, 1990 and 2009 where the Thomians came out victorious.
This time however, they face an Isipathana team that is in ominous form, having topped Group B in the league tournament, whilst the Thomians have been less impressive, finishing in third in Group A.

Isipathana skipper and No 8 Dahan Wickramaarachchi will rely on his in form players in the likes of Hooker Sangeeth Kodagoda, Centre Chamoth Iroshan, Full-back Malith Mihisara, Flanker Tharindu Wewalpanditha, Fly-half Naveen Kanishka and Winger Rinesh Silva to name a few, to deliver the goods while the Thomian skipper and No 8 Charya Kurukulasuriya will bank on Winger Jaden Koch, Fly-half Yehan Bulathsinghalage, Flanker Reshane Dwight, Mahith Perera, Hooker Shehan Selvanayagam and Winger Akira Perera.

Meanwhile, there are two other semi-final matches scheduled to be played today with Piliyandala Central locking horns against Rahula College in the Premier Trophy encounter at 10.00 a.m. and DSS confronting Maliyadeva in the Chairman’s Trophy encounter at 2.00 p.m.