Trinity edge gallant Zahira to stay unbeaten as Super Round thrills continue

Trinity skipper and fullback Shan Althaf held by Zahira centre Basith Feroze 

By Shamseer Jaleel

Defending champions Trinity College underlined why they remain the team to beat in the Dialog Schools Under-19 Rugby League 2026, overcoming a determined and gutsy Zahira College outfit 37/32 in a thrilling Cup segment Super Round encounter played before a packed and vocal crowd at Maradana last weekend.

The victory extended Trinity’s unbeaten run and left them on the verge of securing back-to-back League titles after surviving one of their sternest examinations of the season during their ninth visit to Colombo this year. They have one game remaining against St. Peter’s College next weekend in Bambalapitiya, which will be their final League fixture.

The Maradana showdown lived up to expectations as both schools produced an entertaining spectacle filled with attacking rugby, momentum swings, and relentless commitment. While Trinity eventually emerged victorious, Zahira earned widespread admiration for a courageous display that pushed the defending champions to the limit from the opening whistle until the final moments, producing one of their best outfits in more than six decades.

For Trinity, skipper Shan Althaf, Udan Wijekoon, Achintha Jayasena, and Akash Fernando stood out, while Basith Feroze and skipper Hakeem Chunchi played their hearts out for Zahira.

Zahira stunned the visitors with a dream start when scrum-half Afham Abdeen crossed for the opening try after just seven minutes. Flanker Shaifullah Zulfikar converted to give the home side a deserved 7/0 lead, delighting their passionate supporters who packed the stands expecting a memorable contest.

Trinity gradually settled into the game and responded through No. 8 Achintha Jayasena, whose powerful try, converted by skipper Althaf, restored parity. Zulfikar regained the lead for Zahira with a well-struck penalty before Trinity finished the opening half strongly, as centre Akash Fernando brushed aside a few defenders to touch down just before the break and hand the visitors a narrow 12/10 advantage.

After the turnaround, the same pace and intensity were witnessed as both teams traded penalties through Althaf and Zulfikar. Trinity then appeared to seize control when the outstanding Jayasena crashed over for his second try and Althaf converted to give the visitors a 22/13 lead.

Zahira, however, refused to surrender. Lock Ahamed Arafath barged over for an important try to keep the contest alive before Trinity responded once more. Althaf slotted another penalty before the eagle-eyed Akash Fernando claimed his second try of the afternoon as Zahira failed to ground the ball safely.

Even with Trinity enjoying what appeared to be a comfortable cushion, Zahira continued to attack with tremendous spirit. Their backs repeatedly tested the Trinity defence and another try reduced the deficit once again, keeping the contest alive deep into the second half.

Althaf then produced the decisive contribution when he crossed for a superb try and converted it himself. Many thought that would settle the contest, but the never-say-die spirit of the Maradana lads saw centre Feroze dummy his way over for a dandy try before Zulfikar added the conversion. However, the home side simply ran out of time as Trinity held on for a hard-earned five-point victory and kept their hopes alive of retaining the league title in Kandy once more.

Elsewhere in the Super Round, Wesley College produced the upset of the weekend by defeating Isipathana College 27/25 at Longdon Place. Wesley scored five tries to register their first Cup segment victory, with Abdul Rahuman’s late try sealing a memorable triumph after an absorbing encounter that swung repeatedly in both directions.

St. Peter’s College also enjoyed a memorable afternoon by regaining the prestigious B.C. Anghie Memorial Trophy after overcoming Royal College 27/22 at the Royal Sports Complex. Fly-half Jamal Wahab inspired the Peterites with a magnificent hat-trick of tries as they withstood sustained Royal pressure despite playing much of the second half with 14 men.

Collectively, the weekend’s results highlighted the outstanding standard of this year’s competition, but Trinity’s ability to preserve their unbeaten record against a fearless Zahira side reinforced their championship credentials, while the brave hosts demonstrated that they remain capable of matching the very best in school rugby.

Meanwhile, St. Anthony’s College produced a splendid performance at Rajagiriya to beat Ananda College 48/26, although their hopes of claiming the Plate segment remain in doubt due to inconsistent performances earlier in the season. 

Kingswood College kept their Bowl segment hopes alive when they edged D.S. Senanayake College 38/34 at the Bogambara Stadium, which hosted its first match of the season.

With one round of League fixtures remaining, Trinity are in a strong position to retain the League title, while another Kandy school, Kingswood College, look set to secure the Bowl segment. Colombo will not return empty-handed, with St. Joseph’s College and Thurstan College occupying the top two positions in the Plate segment standings.