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| Sunday, 15 June 2003 |
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| News Business Features Editorial
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Close battle expected in Royal vs St. Peter's game Royal have the edge, but the Peterites can pull a surprise. The rugby infectious month of June will expectantly see a shift of the gloss from the clubs to the schools where the crowds are, with Reid Avenue stage set this evening to reel off a tight battle when giants, Royal College scrum down against a St. Peter's outfit known to topple the best on their day. Certainly, if it's a 'Sunday best' rugby thirsty fans are yearning for, then this Royal-Peterite encounter carries the trimmings of a heavyweight bout. Given as it always has been that the Royalists have throughout held sway as a rugger hardened dominant force. But what thrusts Rumesh Ishak's Peterites into the limelight this time around with breaking a 13-year long hoodoo is the fact that Bambalapitiya lads carry the tag of reigning Milo `A' Division League Champions. Whether it is the much touted flavour Milo will bring by its trophy glamour to the Peterites in combining their skills with the ball when they match the Royalists in unfamiliar territory, the evening will tell. But in comparison, Rajith Jayasundera's Royalists are not to be outdone having last year had the Milo President's Trophy Knockout Tournament. What is certain is that for the Peterites to emulate Harendra Wijesena's team of 1990 when they last beat Royal 24-12, Ishak's charges will need to draw on all their resources to overcome the heavy odds. For one, they will be up against a side which will be boosted largely by having two national players in centre Jayasundera and wing three-quarter, Lakshman Dissanayake while there is also youth cap Varun Wijewardene. On the form book too this season, Royal enjoy a slight edge. While the Reid Avenue team scored a huge 45-nil win over Dharmaraja in their only outing so far, St. Peter's drew their match against Trinity College 20-all last week while they beat Carey 21-5. But scorelines wouldn't mean anything where the Peterites could draw some satisfaction that they drew against a school like Trinity, known down the years as the Trinity Lions for their wealth of contribution to the game at that level. Royal will also be bolstered by seniors like Prabath Udugampola, Shehab Bahudeen and Avaiz Rashid. St. Peter's will draw on the experience of skipper Ishak and six other coloursmen - vice captain Dananjaya Nonis, flanker Sajith Adhikara, second row forward Menik Hewagama, flanker Malith Perera, scrum half Mahesh Fernando and wing three quarter Mohamed Renaz. |
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