Bradby teams to battle for Knockout title

Royal player Praveen Nimsara (right) at the match – Pic by Ruwan Walpola

Trinity scrum-half Udan Wijekoon in action 

• In semis, Royal College defeat defending champions Isipathana College 39-13
• Trinity College booked second consecutive final with 49-29 win over Wesley College

By Shamseer Jaleel

Bradby Shield rivals Trinity College and Royal College will meet on 4 April to vie for the Dialog President’s Trophy after their convincing semi-final wins in the Knockout tournament over the weekend.

Royal defeated defending champions Isipathana College 39-13, whilst its arch-rivals Trinity overcame Wesley College 49-29 on Saturday.

Royal produced a commanding performance to power their way into the final, defeating defending champions Isipathana College 39-13 in front of a packed house at Longdon Place.

The Reid Avenue outfit led 19-8 at halftime and never looked back, delivering a clinical display built on forwards dominance and top-class control of the game in key moments.

Isipathana struck first in the fifth minute through their fullback Mohamed Jaffard, crossing over to give the defending champions an early advantage. However, Royal responded almost immediately, with Kavindu Hewage going over for a try, which was successfully converted by the dependable Shimak Shafeek to swing momentum their way.

Royal continued to press hard, and Khyan de Silva extended their lead with a well-worked t y, once again converted by Shafeek, putting Royal firmly in control. Although Isipathana’s Nimantha Sandeepa reduced the deficit with a penalty, his yellow card shortly after disrupted the Greens’ rhythm at a crucial stage of the game.

On the stroke of halftime, de Silva went over for his second try, allowing Royal to head into the break with a comfortable 19-8 lead. From there, Royal tightened their grip, with their forwards taking complete control of possession and territory in the second half.

Isipathana showed brief resistance after the restart, with replacement scrum-half Manuja Botheju scoring a try. But Royal quickly shut down any hopes of a comeback, as Shafeek slotted two crucial penalties to extend the lead to 32-13. A late high tackle from Sandeepa resulted in a second yellow card upgraded to a red, leading to a penalty try that sealed the outcome.

Royal skipper Disas Pathirana led from the front with a powerful all-round performance, inspiring his side with his leadership and physical presence. Shafeek was outstanding with the boot, controlling the scoreboard with accuracy and composure, while Isipathana Captain Shakib Zumri fought valiantly despite the defeat, showing good play and leadership and commitment throughout.

Referee Kelum Sandaruwan handled the whistle.

Meanwhile, Trinity College booked their second consecutive final of the Dialog Schools President’s Trophy Knockout Championship 2026 with a commanding 49-29 victory over favourites Wesley College in a high-octane semi-final played at the Royal College Sports Complex on Saturday.

At the short breather, the Trinity Lions led 28/17.

Coming into the game, Wesley were tipped to edge the contest following their impressive quarter-final win over St. Peter’s College. However, Trinity had other ideas, producing a clinical and physically dominant performance to outplay the Double Blues and secure a deserved place in the final.

The Trinitians, though slightly unsettled early on, struck first through flanker Nisith Kumarasinghe, setting the tone for what would become a relentless attacking display.

Skipper Shan Althaf was once again outstanding with the boot, maintaining a high success rate and controlling the game with maturity. His leadership and decision-making proved crucial, especially in key moments where Trinity extended their advantage. He converted six out of six conversions with top-class accuracy while missing a penalty kick and a drop goal attempt. 

A major factor behind Trinity’s success was the sheer dominance of their forwards. Led by a tireless pack, players like Wijekoon, Hamza Abdeen, and Abdul Malik stood out with their physicality, work rate, and ability to win crucial possession. The forwards laid a solid platform, consistently winning the collisions and disrupting Wesley’s rhythm, which ultimately proved decisive in turning the tide of the match.

Trinity’s ability to capitalise on Wesley’s restart errors further underlined their tactical awareness. Quick thinking and sharp execution allowed them to convert turnovers into points, keeping the pressure firmly on their opponents throughout the game.

Despite Wesley’s early resistance, including a brilliant individual effort from fullback Mohamed Fawaz, they gradually lost momentum as Trinity tightened their grip. By halftime, Trinity had built a solid 28-17 lead, and from there, they never looked back. First-half Trinity tries were scored by Kumarasinghe, Abdeen, Althaf, and Achintha Jayasena, while the Double Blues replied through Fawaz, Janith Hapugalle, and Pawan Thiranagama tries.

The second half saw Trinity raise their intensity, with the forwards continuing to dominate while the backs finished clinically. Kumarasinghe added a second try, while Evin Jayasena and Akash Fernando powered over, highlighting the collective strength of the pack. Althaf converted six tries, while Sadeesha Weerawansa converted one, showing top-class accuracy.

Wesley managed a few late tries through Thidas Athvidu and Liam Onasiz, but by then the outcome was beyond doubt. Fawaz converted two of the tries but was taken out due to an ankle jury. 

Referee Ishanka Abeykoon handled the game well, allowing advantage play for both sides where 78 points were scored in the game of running rugby.