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| Sunday, 03 August 2003 |
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| News Business Features Editorial
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Royal take 'Bradby' for 3rd consecutive year by LAL GUNESEKERA Royal won the Bradby Shield for the third consecutive year defeating traditional rivals Trinity by 13 points (1 goal, 2 penalties) to 8 (1 try 1 penalty) in the second-leg after leading 6-0 at half time in their schools rugby match at the Royal College Sports Complex yesterday. Royal won the first-leg 13-11 two weeks back. This was the third occasion that Royal has won the Bradby Shield for the third consecutive year. They achieved it from 1978 to 1980 and again from 1988 to 1990. Then under Harin Kaluaratchi, in 2001, Royal won 12-6 and 16-0, while last year (2002). Royal, under Zulki Hameed won 39-0 and 44-0 respectively. Royal has now won the Bradby Shield on 26 occasions and Trinity 32 times. Royal's defence was the match winner in the end. Time and time again, Trinity, were on the offensive, but Royal's solid tackling put paid to these moves. It was rather strange but Royal's two wingers Lakshman Dissanayake and Silvalingam, hardly got the opportunity of handling the ball. Trinity on the other hand, depended too much on their captain Migara Maddumapatabendi. Whenever they opted to run the ball off a penalty, it was to Maddumapatabendi that they gave the ball to. However, he was a well marked person yesterday and Trinity instead of trying a different ploy, continued to hand over the ball to the skipper. Then, there were numerous occasions inside Royal's "22" when Trinity should have taken a kick at goal, but instead they opted for the short-tap, but Royal's defence always held. Royal went ahead in the 10th minute through a near 40-metre penalty by full-back Bahudeen, who kicked correctly another, but from 22-metres right, seven minutes later for Royal to lead 6-0. In this session, Trinity, were awarded three penalties inside the Royal "22", but did not take the kicks at goal, which could have given them a morale boost. After the "turn around", Royal, went further ahead in the fourth minute with scrum-half Nirmal Siriwardene going ever mid-right and with Bahudeen making certain of the conversion, they led 13-0. Two minutes later, Trinity, missed one golden opportunity with Saliya Kumara their full-back's attempt at a simple 22-metre penalty left whizzed past the left upright. Trinity were again awarded three penalties inside Royal's "22", but opting to run the ball could not get through the defence. However in the 15th minute, Saliya Kumara put over a 30-metre penalty for Trinity to reduce the lead (3-13), and soon afterwards he was taken away on a stretcher. With 10 more minutes remaining for the final whistle. Three further penalties were awarded to Trinity again inside the Royal "22" but again they failed to penetrate the defence. In the 22nd minute, Trinity's right winger Isuru Jayasena went over far right, but Sumedha Jayasundera's kick went astray (Trinity 8-13). Anura Rankothge refereed. Trinity won the Simmithiaratchi Memorial Trophy beating Royal by 22 points (1 goal, 3 tries) to 5 in the under-17 game after leading 11-5 at half time. Trinity won the first-leg game 11-5. However, this game was marred by the indiscipline shown by the young Royalists who were seen throwing their firsts around and even arguing with the referee. |
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