The second leg of 71st Bradby Shield was worked off at the Royal Complex. The first leg ended 23 – 22 as Royal won in Pallekele. However, Royal ran riot against the Trinitians to a seven try victory. Final score Royal 49 (T7, C4, P2) – 00.
Possession, patience, ambition and determination as the Royals put up a colossal performance to bring back the prestigious Bradby Shield after four years. It was a completely different attack in contrast to the first leg, as both the forwards and the backs were on song in front of a packed house.
Captain Banuka Gamage almost beat the defense from the kick off but he had just one man to beat that was the opposite skipper Isuru Rangala. Rangala made a valiant effort to stop Gamage with a diving tackle. In the first 10 minutes both teams had equal chances but yet again the Royal forwards were too strong for the opposition. Trinity could not get the very first scrum right as a result referee Anura Rankothge awarded a free kick to the hosts.
In the 13th minute Trinity won a penalty but Saranga Gunathilaka did not have the distance to seal the 42M kick. Couple of minutes after, Anuka Boyagoda fumbles with the ball inside the 5m mark and he was taken in to the try line where the hosts had a 5m scrum as a result. Supun Warnakulasuriya controlled the driving scrum and fell on the try line to open the score. Ovin Askey made the extras (RC 07 – 00 TCK)
Royal had done their homework and the lineout looked menacing. A 20m driving maul resulted in a penalty which was kicked by Askey. Trinity with the restart went to the opposite 22m for the first time and they had a penalty. Rangala opted a scrum instead of getting some points on the board with a kick but they lost the scrum. Sachintha Dissanayaka made a lovely break but he was denied scoring with some courageous defense by the blue and gold. (RC 10 – 00 TCK)
Play maker Saranga was concussed and out for few minutes, Royal on the 6th KIA gear with some lovely hands from Gayal to Banuka to the pencil winger Sabith Feroze who finished in the try line. Asky missed the conversion but nailed a penalty in a tough angle before the half time.
Half Time – RC 18 (2T, 1C, 1P) – 00 TCK
It was all Royal after the lemons as the Trinitians looked clueless. The hosts played more compact rugby with their heavy forwards, pick and run from inch by inch and phase by phase. Flanker Keshan Peiris scored in the right flank from picking up a loose ball in the scrum. Askey was on target with the conversion. Royal dominated the possession and territory and ten minutes in to the third quarter Supun scored yet again with a driving maul from the lineout. (RC 30 – 00 TCK)
The other winger Mahima Gamage came to the action with an intercepted 60m run under the posts. Three minutes later Jubilant Gamage collected a high ball of Boyagoda and he was through for his second try. Askey nailed the first conversion but missed the second. (RC 42 – 00 TCK)
The reid avenue boys had few more chances of scoring in the latter stages but they could not hold on to the ball. However, in the 70th minute Supun claimed his hat-trick with another rolling maul. Jaded Trinity had no choice but to accept the defeat.
