In a grueling encounter defined by torrential rain and old-school wet-weather rugby, Ananda College successfully defended the prestigious 55th William Gopallawa Shield, defeating Vidyartha College 38-26 at the Nittawela Rugby Stadium.
Inaugurated in 1968 to honor Sri Lanka’s first Executive President, this historic fixture lived up to its legacy of fierce rivalry and deep mutual respect. Coming off a historic one-point victory in 2025 that broke an agonizing 11-year hoodoo, Ananda College proved their resurgence is the real deal. This victory marks the first time in years that the boys from Rajagiriya will take the shield back to Colombo in consecutive seasons, proving they belong among the elite of Division 1A. The Vidyartha Tigers, who have already secured promotion to the top tier for 2027, put up a tremendous fight, but as the rain intensified and poured down relentlessly toward the final whistle, Ananda’s disciplined forward dominance ultimately mastered the muddy conditions.
The match was a high-octane affair from the opening whistle despite the damp conditions. The scoring began as early as the 3rd minute when Ananda fly-half Rehan Attanayake crossed the whitewash after a strong initial drive. Captain Deneth Chamuditha’s conversion attempt from out wide proved unsuccessful (AC 05 – 00 VCK).
The Tigers responded quickly. In the 7th minute, capitalizing on a loose ball in the slippery midfield, H. Wijethunga found a gap to score. Vidyartha captain and fullback Dilsara calmly slotted the conversion to give the home side the lead (AC 05 – 07 VCK).
Ananda regained the momentum in the 17th minute when a slick backline move involving Attanayake and Peiris beat the drifting defence, allowing substitute winger Induwara Dissanayake to score in the corner. Chamuditha’s conversion drifted wide in the swirling breeze (AC 10 – 07 VCK).
Drama ensued in the 23rd minute when Dissanayake appeared to have raced through for his second try, but the referee ruled an infringement in the build-up and awarded a lineout to Vidyartha instead. However, Ananda’s pressure remained relentless on the greasy turf. Chamuditha quickly capitalized on a handling error forced by a heavy tackle, touching down for Ananda’s third try (AC 15 – 07 VCK).
Vidyartha fought back in the 28th minute, relying on their powerful pack as number four Gimhana crashed over from a well-executed driving maul to score (AC 15 – 12 VCK). Ananda closed out the half with a crucial power try from number eight Seymal in the 33rd minute, taking a 20-12 lead into the break.
Half Time: Ananda College 20 (4T) – 12 (2T, 1C) Vidyartha College
The second half began with both sides showing tactical discipline as the ground conditions became increasingly treacherous. Ananda earned a penalty for a holding-on infringement in the 40th minute, which Deneth Chamuditha successfully converted to extend the lead (AC 23 – 12 VCK).
Ananda suffered a setback in the 43rd minute when hooker Nenula Lometh was shown a yellow card and sent to the sin bin. Despite being a man down, the Colombo boys maintained their composure in the mud. In the 45th minute, following a clean scrum, Ariyawansha fed Attanayake, who linked beautifully with Chamuditha before offloading to substitute Thenula Wijewardene, who finished off a brilliant shorthanded try (AC 28 – 12 VCK).
Ananda’s forward dominance continued to dictate the pace. In the 50th minute, lock Ashara Senadeera touched down for their sixth try after a grueling series of pick-and-goes, although the conversion was missed (AC 33 – 12 VCK).
The Tigers refused to back down on their home turf. They clawed one back in the 54th minute when Kavishka Gimhana scored an opportunistic try, with Ayodya Fernando adding the conversion (AC 33 – 19 VCK). However, Ashara Senadeera effectively put the game beyond reach in the 60th minute, crashing through the defence for his second try of the match (AC 38 – 19 VCK).
In the closing stages, the skies opened completely as the rain intensified into a torrential downpour. Handling became nearly impossible, but the Tigers managed one final consolation score in the dying moments when Weerasinghe crossed the line. The conversion was successful, bringing the final score to 38-26 as the referee blew the final whistle on a historic wet-weather battle.
Full Time: Ananda College 38 (7T, 1P) – 26 (4T, 3C) Vidyartha College
Points Breakdown
- Perfect Player of the Match: Deneth Chamuditha (Ananda College)
Ananda College – 38
Rehan Attanayake – 1T, Induwara Dissanayake – 1T, Deneth Chamuditha – 1T, 1P, Seymal Wimalasuriya- 1T, Thenula Wijewardene – 1T, Ashara Senadeera – 2T
Vidyartha College – 26
H. Wijethunga – 1T, Kavishka Gimhana – 2T, S. Weerasinghe – 1T, Sadew Dilsara – 2C, Ayodya Fernando – 1C
