Lions at their zenith: Trinity’s extraordinary 2026 campaign sets stage for Bradby

Across the league matches leading into Bradby, Trinity have amassed over 300 points while conceding fewer than 60. They have remained unbeaten throughout the campaign and have consistently secured bonus-point victories. The Lions are not merely chasing another Bradby victory. They are pursuing a place among the greatest Trinity sides ever assembled 

For a century and more, Trinity College has been one of the most prolific breeding grounds of rugby talent in Sri Lanka. From the rugged forwards of the early era where international students from Myanmar Uganda India Malaysia and other Commonwealth nations represented this prestigious institution, to the modern generation of running rugby exponents, the school has continuously shaped the landscape of schools rugby. Yet even against that rich backdrop, the 2026 season is rapidly earning recognition as one of the finest campaigns ever produced by a Trinity First XV.

As the countdown begins for the 81st Bradby Shield encounter, the Lions arrive carrying not merely the weight of expectation, but the momentum of a season that has bordered on immortality. 

A season that began with silverware

The signs were evident long before the league commenced. Trinity entered the season determined to reclaim the Schools Knockout Championship and did so in emphatic fashion.

The Kandy lads stormed in to the President’s Trophy by dismantling Royal College 58-26 in the final at Sugathadasa Stadium, ending a long wait for knockout glory. The ten-try demolition was not only a statement of victory over their oldest rivals but also established Trinity as the undisputed benchmark of school rugby in 2026. Reports described the performance as one of the most dominant finals in the history of the competition, with Trinity’s 58 points setting a record for a President’s Trophy final.

That triumph laid the foundation for what followed.

Ruthless from the opening week

When the Dialog Schools Rugby League commenced in April, Trinity immediately demonstrated that the knockout success was no isolated achievement.

A heavily rotated side opened the campaign with a commanding 55-12 victory over newcomers Lumbini College. The result showcased the remarkable depth available to the coaching staff, with players throughout the squad stepping up to maintain the standards established by the first-choice lineup.

One week later came a 58-5 dismantling of traditional rivals St. Anthony’s College at Nittawela. Ten tries, relentless attacking rugby and total control highlighted a side that was already operating at a level above most opponents.

The victories continued with a 39-0 win over Sri Sumangala College. Trinity scored six tries while preventing their opponents from crossing the goal line even once. More significantly, the Lions demonstrated their growing defensive steel, a feature that would become a hallmark of the campaign.

Power and precision

The encounter against D.S. Senanayake College offered a different challenge.

After leading by only 10-5 at halftime, Trinity produced a devastating second-half performance to pull away 41-10. It was perhaps one of the most revealing matches of the season. When faced with resistance, the Lions displayed patience, tactical maturity and fitness levels that eventually overwhelmed their opponents.

By this stage, observers had begun to note the balance within the side.

The forwards were consistently dominant through the set pieces and breakdowns. Players such as the always annoying Hamsa Abdeen, Naheel Jayah, Achintha Jayasena, Akash Fernando and Nisith Kumarasinghe repeatedly provided the platform in that game. Behind them, the backline operated with speed and confidence, orchestrated by fly-half Abdul Malik and inspirational skipper Shan Althaf.

The defining victory

The most significant hurdle of the first round arrived on May 24 when Trinity travelled to Colombo to face fellow unbeaten contenders Isipathana College.

The fixture was widely billed as the match that would determine the strongest team in the country. Pre-match previews described it as a blockbuster between the two leading rugby schools of the season.

Trinity answered every question emphatically.

The Lions produced a superb all-round display to defeat Isipathana 36-12 at Havelock Park, securing the crucial away victory that effectively confirmed their status as title favourites. The result completed an unbeaten first round campaign and reinforced the growing belief that this Trinity side possessed something lethal.

At the conclusion of the first round, Trinity stood alone at the summit with five wins from five matches, maximum points and a staggering points difference. Analysts labelled them the most dominant team in the competition.

Sending a Bradby warning

If any doubts remained regarding Trinity’s supremacy, they were erased in the Royal fortress on 13 June.

Facing Royal College in the Cup Segment, Trinity delivered a ruthless 48-15 victory. Seven tries flowed from a combination of forward dominance and clinical finishing.

Royal were never allowed into the contest.

The Lions raced to a 29-3 halftime lead and eventually stretched the margin to 48-3 before late Royal tries narrowed the deficit. The performance was perhaps Trinity’s most complete display of the season, featuring powerful carries, intelligent kicking, aggressive defence and expansive attacking rugby.

More importantly, it represented Trinity’s second victory over Royal this year, following the knockout final triumph in April. 

This writer wishes to draw the attention of the readership to the Trinity College magazine of 1979. Rugby report by the captain of that year Jan Tissera makes a statement of Vedanayagam’s try in a very diplomatic and weak manner in the true Trinity spirit. The thorough bread gentleman Tikiri Ellepola the former Trinity captain when asked about that report was so diplomatic that he said that he did not have the report in his Colombo house !!! 

The same way the last quarter of the 2026 Royal Trinity game is best forgotten for fallibility on referee fatigue or trauma !!!!

Numbers behind the dominance

The statistics paint a remarkable picture.

Across the league matches leading into Bradby, Trinity have amassed over 300 points while conceding fewer than 60. They have remained unbeaten throughout the campaign and have consistently secured bonus-point victories.

The side has scored freely from every area of the field.

Their forwards have dominated through rolling mauls and close-quarter carries. Their backs have punished opponents through pace, width and creativity. The kicking game, led by Shan Althaf and Abdul Malik, has added another dimension, while defensive organisation has often suffocated opposition attacks before they can develop. Bonus kicking from Weerawansa and Faizal.

Few Trinity teams in recent memory have displayed such complete rugby.

Yet Bradby remains different

And now comes the Bradby.

History offers a warning against reading too much into league form.

The Bradby Shield has never been a competition that obeys statistics. It has often ignored league tables, previous results and public expectations. Royal College, despite suffering two heavy defeats to Trinity this season, possess a proud tradition of rising to the occasion when the Bradby Shield is at stake.

Many Royal teams have entered Bradby as underdogs only to produce performances that have become part of rugby folklore.

That reality ensures Trinity will approach the encounter with caution despite carrying overwhelming momentum.

A chance to create history

For Trinity, however, the opportunity is immense.

The Lions are not merely chasing another Bradby victory. They are pursuing a place among the greatest Trinity sides ever assembled.

They have already reclaimed the President’s Trophy after long years. They have conquered every opponent placed before them. They have defeated Royal twice. They have remained unbeaten. They have produced some of the most attractive and effective rugby seen in recent schools rugby history.

Now one challenge remains.

The Bradby Shield.

If this remarkable group can translate their league dominance onto the biggest stage of all, they may secure more than the prestigious Bradby Shield. They may secure immortality within the proud annals of Trinity rugby.

And that is why the world of Trinity waits with anticipation.

For a Trinity side already scaling dizzy heights, the Bradby represents the final summit.