Thurstan back to the top after 12 years

The champion Thurstan rugby team posing for a picture after their massive 100-14 win against St. Aloysius.   

By M. Shamil Amit   
Thurstan College, who at one time were one of the leading rugby playing schools in the island having brushed shoulders with all the leading schools, have fallen back in recent times, stumbling from the top division down to the lower ranks.   
They were demoted to the lower division more than a decade ago and in the process the team has been working hard to get back to the place they belong, which they have now achieved, moving back to the top division having emerged as undisputed champions of the division two segment this season.   
The Thurstanites remained unbeaten champions having won all the five matches that they played this season, with resounding wins against Piliyandala Central (34-17), Ananda College (32-7), St. Aloysius’ College Galle (100-14), Lumbini MV (36-5) and Maliyadeva Kurunegala (20-14).   

The side guided by Colin Dinesh, an experience figure in the field of rugby along with his assistants Lasindu Karunatileke, Gihan Perera and Nipuna Kalhara the manager of the team, left no stone unturned to bring back the past glory of the school rugby team.   

Thurstan was one of the top-notch teams in the past and in the year 1998 they had the honour of clinching the President’s trophy knockout title and having got back to the top after a lapse of 12 years they will no doubt look forward to continue from where they left in the years gone by.   
Of course credit cannot be taken away from the hard working efforts put in by the Principal and the Schools Rugby Development Committee apart from the commitment and dedication put in by the team which succeeded and helped having missed out previous season (2022) by finishing third to D.S. Senanaayake College and Zahira.   

The Thurstan squad comprised: Daveesha Perera (Capt), Ashan de Silva, Thimira Lakshan, Oshada Mihiranga, Pasan Jayaratne, Menusha Shenal, Ramika Thiran, Devinda Pathirana, Sithija Jayatileke, Esitha Apoorva, Lithira Mithsura, Denver Jason, Pasinda Kavinda, Ahad Salay, Chanithu Semal, Lesandu Athukorala, Kaveesha Binuwara, Binuka Dileshan, Hansa Indramal, Binuka Hejitha, Menura Lakvidu, Aaqib Sahal, Navik Geesath, Malindu Winsara, Yuwan Pathirana