Royal College broke the three year hoodoo in the Lion’s den with a 23 – 22 nail-biting finish against Trinity College in the 1st leg of the transcendent Bradby Shield up in Pallekele a few days ago. Although Royal will remain favourites, it will be a tough prediction until the 80th minute in the second leg on the 23rd May at Royal Complex.
Incidentally a mini-commercial battle also prevails with the two giants in the motor world colliding as well. KIA in the Blue & Gold corner and LAND ROVER backing the Red Gold & Blue camp.
Recent History
It was in 2011 that Murad Ramzeen’s team lost in the first leg in Kandy to Shehan Pathirana’s Royal team. 33 -25 was the score but what a comeback by the Lions in the second leg as they left the Royals shell-shocked with a 40 – 05 victory and overall 65 – 38 points.
So the 1st stage of the league is over as Royal finished unbeaten in their group with a total of points 26.50. Trinity finished second in the same group with 23.50 points. However, now it is all about the pride, the crest, the flag and the guts as they scrum down this Saturday for the second leg.
Royal Scrum v Trinity Backs
Royal certainly did not play to their potential with the strength of the heavy forwards in Pallekele. Despite the fact that they dominated the scrum, they could not do well in the lineouts. The most reliable Supun Warnakulasuriya playing at #8 and throwing at lineout is perhaps a little too much pressure on him. Although the Trinity defence was patchy, they did a decent job to keep Royal to a one point win.
Trinity has a good set of three quarters but they did not seem to be organized enough as they left so much space for the Royal attack. The second half restart is one good example. Royal scored the try through Ashok Kumar’s kick and winger Gamage scored as no sweeper at the back. Trinity also opted to attack from their own 22m, but they should do more in the opposite half and play safe inside their territory. Most importantly when they are on attack the line looked very flat, they need to form a little deep.
Decision making in the 1st leg
Two minutes before half time Royal won a penalty from moving a solid and controlled scrum. Supun took a quick tap and fell over the whitewash but referee Dinka Peiris brought back play. Then Royal did not take another scrum instead they went kicking to touch. By the 38th minute Royal lost almost 3 lineouts with Boyagoda dashing to the try line with one stolen one. From the touch in to penalty Royal could not drive away to the try line. But they won another penalty and yet again they opted a quick tap and run but could not score. In the third penalty of the same play Royal opted for the scrum but Trinity managed to stop Supun scoring from the break. Royal won the first penalty through the scrum, therefore there right decision would have been to opt for another scrum. Also if Trinity collapsed the scrum twice more they would have got a penalty try.
Trinity opted for a short 22m drop kick in the 78th minute when the score was 22-23, once again trying to be positive and attacking from their base. If it is the second leg with same score that would be the right decision. A one point margin is always better than giving extra 5 or 7. Trinity should have kicked deep from the 22m. However, the kickoff was well collected by the Royals who managed to keep six phases and the fly half Gayal Jayasinghe almost sneaked through for another try.
Watch out for :
Scrum Half – Anuka Boyagoda (TCK) v Ashok Kumar (RC)
Boyagoda scored the first try, he was too good in the first leg and certainly his decision making and game management will play a big role. He is also good with kicks, if he can make some long and high box kicks that will put some early pressure on Ovin Askey the Royal full back. Kumar on the other hand had good awareness and assisted the most important try with his boot. He needs to be a little quicker in the rucks and scrums.
Fly half – Thisila Perera (TCK) v Gayal Jayasinghe (RC)
Two different style of No10s; as Thisila is big made like a front row player but he manages to feed the ball and he can also put kicks in to points over the uprights. He took over the kicking from Saranga Gunathilaka who missed 2 conversions and a penalty. Gayal on the other hand is a running fly half and he can beat his opposite number quite easily but he needs to control the ball in hand on the move.
Front Row – Ghazali, Nethmal, Chang (TCK) v Nikil, Harith, Ayesh (RC)
This will test the scrums big time. Ghazali Ismail is more likely to take the start over Shalinda Alahakoon. The Royal three were too strong at Pallekele and it will be interesting to see how the Trinity front rowers respond to it.
Expected Actions :
Supun Warnakulasuriya’s attack v Isuru Rangala’s defence
Sabith Feroze (RC) v Saranga Gunathilaka try count
Score Predictions :
Shehan Pathirana “Royal win by 15”
Murad Ramzeen “Its not going to be that easy to (Lema), but I would like to say to the Trinitians- look to the end and consider the outcome”
Royals Probable starting XV –
15. Ovin Askey, 14. Andrew Silva 13. Bhanuka Gamage 12. Akash Iddawela 11. Saabith Feroze 10.Gayal Jayasinghe 09. Ashok Wijekumar 08. Supun Warnakulasuriya 07.Shawket Lahir 06.Keshan Peiris 05. Chandula Jayasundara 04. Umesh Madhushan 03. Nikhil Gunadeera 02.Harith Lokugamage 01. Ayesh Maduranga
Trinity Probable starting XV –
15. Sanushka Abeywickraa 14. Saranga Gunathilake 13. Ryan Weerakoon 12. Sachintha Dissanayake 11. Geshan Pethiyagoda 10. Thusila Perera 09. Anuka Boyagoda 08. Rukshan Dharmapala 07. Rajith Samarasekera 06. Anjana Bandara 05. Isuru Rangala (C) 04. Rahul Karunathilake 03. Nathan Chang 02. Nethmal Sakalasuriya 01. Ghazali Ismail
