High-riding St. Peter’s sounds warning, aims to retain titles

St. Peter’s Team - Pix by Pradeep Dilrukshana

By M. Shamil Amit

Defending league and knockout champions St. Peter’s College Bambalapitiya, one of the leading rugby-playing schools in the country, sounded a warning to their opponents after the first match of the Dialog Under-19 inter-school rugby league tournament as they began their campaign to retain the league and knockout titles with a resounding win over the hapless Thurstan side by 112-0.

The Peterites, apart from that, have already shown their prowess this season, having won the Zahira Centenary 7’s and the Elite School Rugby 7’s, and this time out they will be looking forward to going a step further to win a triple of titles.

The Peterites will be led by No. 8 Dulaj Navodya, and the Bambalapitiya outfit, known as the Bamba Brigade, possesses a very strong outfit, and they have in their ranks nine players who represented them last season. With one of the most experienced coaches, Sanath Martis, and his assistants guiding the boys, they are for sure a side to be reckoned with and will be the top contenders for the title.

The skipper will pin hopes in Sudesh Jayawickrama, who led the side last year, Vindya de Mel, Kushan Tharindu, Dulaj Navodya, Sadev Gamage, and Umeth Shihara, to name a few, in the quest to achieve their title win and guide the side to their past glory.

Apart from the coaching staff, the boys are given much-needed support and encouragement by Samson Roy, the newly elected president of St. Peter’s Rugby Foundation, who took over from the versatile Mangala Dharmapriya, who was a tower of strength having guided the rugby team.

They possess top players in the likes of Pasindu Bandara, Yumeth Shihara, Emith Jayaweera, Salith Gallage, Vishenka Silva, Raul Peter, and Praneeth Silva, who all have vast experience and will go flat out to achieve the target they are aiming for.

The talent they possessed was visible in the first match against Thurstan, for whom they made mince meat, and as mentioned, it was no doubt a warning of many more things to come as the season gets along.

The Peterites, following their first match against Thurstan, are down to play three matches at Bambalapitiya and will travel to the hill capital twice before ending the league against hosts Royal College.