Royal tune up for Bradby with fine win over S. Thomas'

By Ranjan ANANDAPPA

Royal fine tuned themselves for their next week's second `Leg' of the Bradby Shield retaining the Michael Gunaratne Trophy for the fifth consecutive year defeating traditional rivals S. Thomas' by 38 points (4 goals, 2 tries) to 12 (1 goal, 1 try ) in a throbbing Singer Under 20 League rugger match at the Royal College Complex grounds yesterday.

The Michael Gunaratne Trophy was in the offering since 1962 and Royal has won on 26 occasions to their Thomians 17. S. Thomas' last won in 2005 under the captaincy of present parliamentarian Namal Rajapaksa .

The Thomians took the field with their heads high with the belief of regaining the Gunaratne Shield which was in the custody of Royal for half a decade, but with the Royalist producing a second half burst scoring 21 points they found the boot in the other leg.

It was the Royal forwards that made the major difference and drove the Thomians who displayed early promise into submission. The winners back division looked extremely fragile in defence, but ran the ball quite effectively to have the line in motion.

Royal won a good share of the line-outs while the set pieces were shared.

For Royal Arshad Jamaldeen missed two forty meter penalties before the Thomians opened scoring when number eight Rajinda Gunasekera broke off and sent N.V.Rudra over to touch down. Then Royal touched down thrice first off a five meter scrum where Shehan Pathirana gave the finishing touches and Arshad Jamaldeen gave them the extra points. Thereafter Dishan Palihakkara scored two unconverted tries and the Royalists led 17-5 at the breather.

On resumption the forwards were engaged in a fierce battle with Royal having the better of the exchanges. However, the Royal backs looked vulnerable most of the time but the Thomians lacked the sharp penetrative qualities to score.

Royal extended their lead when they won a line-out and scrum half Cassim passed the ball to Chamara Dabare which Jamaldeen adding the extra points. Arshad Jamaldeen who did not have a good game in the first half found his kicking boot right, later was right on spot.

The Thomians reduce the gap through another Dabare try which Jayasinghe added the extra points. Then Royal produced probabaly the try of the match almost from the goal line off a three quarter move which the entire back division contributed towards it and Dilsha Palihakkara put the finishing touches by scoring. Irshad Jamaldeen made a difficult conversion look easy.

Dilroy Fernando refereed.

Royal won the M. T. Thambapillai Trophy 20-0 in the junior game.