Trinity College capped off a remarkable unbeaten campaign by defeating St. Peter’s College 20-7 in the decisive Dialog Schools Rugby League 2026 Cup Segment clash at the St. Peter’s College Grounds, securing the league title in style.
Dubbed the title decider and undoubtedly the game of the week, the encounter featured two teams with the championship still on the line, with Trinity entering the final round at the top of the standings. The visitors wasted little time asserting themselves after the kickoff by Ashok Krishan.
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St. Peter’s conceded a series of early penalties, allowing Trinity to pin them deep inside their own territory. The visitors’ powerful forward pack immediately capitalised, driving a well-executed rolling maul over the line before hooker Akila Fernando emerged with the opening try. Shan Althaf added the conversion to hand Trinity a deserved early 7-0 lead.
The remainder of the first half developed into a tense, physical contest, with both defences standing firm. Trinity controlled territory and possession for long periods, but the Peterites’ disciplined defence prevented any further damage as the visitors carried a narrow advantage into the break.
Half Time: St. Peter’s College 00 – Trinity College 07 (1T, 1C)
The second half began with another setback for the hosts when Nethshan Manthusha was shown a yellow card for a dangerous tackle in the air. Trinity immediately made their numerical advantage count as skipper Shan Althaf calmly slotted over a penalty to extend the lead to ten points.
Although St. Peter’s enjoyed several promising attacking opportunities, costly handling errors at crucial moments prevented them from troubling the scoreboard. Trinity continued to build pressure through their disciplined forward play and once again punished Peterite indiscipline. After kicking another penalty into the corner, the visitors launched their trademark rolling maul before No. 8 Achintha Jayasena broke away from the back of the drive, shrugging off several defenders to score a crucial second try. Althaf converted superbly to stretch Trinity’s lead to 17 points.
The Peterites found success only through their rolling maul, which repeatedly tested the Trinity defence and forced the visitors into conceding penalties. Trinity were reduced to 14 men when Nisith Kumarasinghe received a yellow card, and moments later captain Shan Althaf also spent time in the sin bin following repeated infringements close to the line.
With a two-man advantage, St. Peter’s finally broke through as Ashaz Akram crashed over from close range following sustained forward pressure. Rajith Geon added the conversion to reduce the deficit to 17-7 and briefly raise hopes of a late comeback.
However, Trinity never looked rattled. Deep into the closing stages, the champions earned another penalty inside Peterite territory, and skipper Shan Althaf made no mistake, bisecting the uprights to seal a deserved 20-7 victory.
The final whistle sparked celebrations for the Trinitians, who completed a flawless unbeaten league campaign to reclaim the Dialog Schools Rugby League title. Having already lifted the Schools Knockout Championship earlier in the season, Trinity now turn their attention to the eagerly anticipated Bradby Shield in pursuit of an unforgettable season.
Full Time: St. Peter’s College 07 (1T,1C) – Trinity College 20 (2T,2C,2C)
Swisstek Player of the Match: Achintha Jayasena (Trinity College)
Points Breakdown
St. Peter’s College 07
Ashaz Akram 1T, Rajith Geon 1C
Trinity College, Kandy – 20
Achintha Jayasena 1T, Akila Fernando 1T, Shan Althaf 2C,2P
