Isipathana College claimed bragging rights to the 2014 Schools Rugby Season by capturing the ultimate glory in the form of the “Triple Championship”.
The Green Jersey’s were not clear favorites at the start of the season, though they were in the running to claim the grueling and prestigious league title along with the likes of Trinity College and Royal College and Kingswood College.
The Pledge
The Coaching staff led by Nilufer Ibrahim and Anuranga Walpola together with Team Manager Chaminda Gallage and Trainer Dinesh Kumara set the boys down gave them the all important pre-season pep talk. But more importantly Coach Nilufer got the boys to make a pledge of solidarity to stand together and make a concerted effort to go for the ultimate Schools Rugby glory of the Triple Championship.
The Turn
Nilufer Ibrahim! A simple and humble individual with roots firmly planted in Sri Lankan Rugby took the reigns to direct the Green Jerseys. His approach was a very thought out one and did not immediately start in the playing field. His first task as he reiterated in his interviews throughout the season was to build the discipline in the team. The Isipathana team had to deal with numerous issues last season leaving an aftertaste and clearly this was a good place to start for the Coach.
Nilufer’s methods were simple as he himself will be the first to tell you. He studies complex training techniques but the methods he adopts are more straightforward and concise with lesser frills. Most importantly the pursuit of getting to a level with the boys themselves facilitating greater acceptance, communication and openness was also an admirable trait which was built by Nilufer.
The Coach’s methods were aimed at a more co-operative team as well as building a more cohesive and a more professional one, with all of the above being the need of the hour for a top tier team.
The Season – Beginning
The Havelock Park School came into the league subsequent to bagging the Sevens title beating a formidable Trinity College side, Trophy number 1. The sevens win was of course not an indicator of how the team would fare in the longer version of the game.
Game one for the Pathanian’s was set to be a bruising one having to face the Reid Avenue Royal’s for the Major Milroy Fernando Trophy. The Havelock park lads only managed to scrape a win on the day with the score line reading 15-14 thanks to some fortune as well with reliable Nimshan Jayawardena’s last minute kick at goal going astray which would have taken the game away from the eventual winners. Trophy number 2 for Isipathana – The Major Milroy Fernando Trophy. The Pathanian’s were faced with numerous issues on the day and according to their Coach patchy plays with the boys deviating from the script caused notable issues. The place kicking and clearance was another major problem faced by the Pathana side as well as the line outs which looked off colour. Isuru Kongahawatte looking very out of sorts was unable to add extra points after a touchdown and also failed to get Pathana out of pressure with his clearance kicks with the clearances finding the hands of the opposition leaving the defense to work overtime.
Isipathana then had the opportunity to get their act together with the next match being D.S. Senanayake College and they went on a rampage with a resounding 85-12 victory. The D.S.S. match was a good bridge for the boys to fine tune themselves as their next opposition was the formidable Trinity College. This outing was a more promising one for the Green Jerseys as they seemed to have gotten their players in the right places and most of the weaknesses remedied. The strong men and stars of the Pathana side were also slowly starting to flex their muscles and shine. Omalka Gooneratne and Sudam Sooriyarachchi (Number 8 and Scrum Half respectively) were key players in the match against Trinity. Isipathana seem to have found their momentum and Coach Nilufer seemed to keep improving the side week on week with his work.
In their next outing Isipathana got one over the Joes recording a 24-8 win Omalka Gooneratne, Sudam Suriyarachchi and Captain Shenal Deelaka being the standout players. To conclude round one the Havelock Park School survived a scare from Wesley College and took a Shehzad Hamidon hat trick to record a narrow 25-22 win. Captain Shenal stood out in defense with the usual heavy weights Omalka and Sudam carrying the load. They were yet having issues in their kicking department which was turning into quite the hindrance. All in all at the end of round one having downed Royal and Trinity, the Isipathana side was looking like the front runners for the league but they were yet to face the likes of unbeaten Kingswood and the formidable Peterite’s in Round Two.
Round two saw a much more improved Pathana side with them having an easy run over S.Thomas’ and Science College recording resounding 61-0 and 55-07 respectively. The biggest relief for the camp would have been the discovery of Chatura Dilshan the lock who had a blessed boot. Dilshan’s kicking was accurate enough to keep the Pathana score line ticking and Kongahawatte had improved on his clearance kicks which gave breathing space for the Green Jersey’s.
Isipathana then had their first test of the second round having to face the Peterites and a last minute Kevin Dixon try kept the scores on deadlock at 25- all to the joy of the Peterites. Pathana maintained their unbeaten streak but the tie resulted in them having a must win last game against Kingswood College or have Trinity take the prestigious league title.
Putting their hump on the road against the Peterites behind them, the champions came back viciously against Kingswood. Keeping ahead of the game at all times the Green Jerseys gave a sterling performance to win the game 34-13 and stake claim to the 2014 League Champions title. Trophy number 3 – League Champions.
The season then came to its final round the bruising knock out circuit. Keeping the fire going after an arduous league tournament is not an easy task. This is the exact reason why in instances you don’t see the league winners and the knock out winners being the one and the same. Nevertheless Pathana had a promise to keep; the Triple Crown.
The Isipathana campaign started off without major trials downing traditional rivals Thurstan College first up which was also for the Abdul Jabbar Trophy. Pathana put up another half century on the board in their 50-5 rout of Thurstan whilst capturing their 4th trophy of the season – The Abdul Jabbar Trophy. The Green Jerseys were then pitted against the gutsy Science College who had overcome the Peterites in their first knock out encounter. After trailing at half time 14-17 the League Champs came back strong to take the game away from Science in the second half with a convincing score line of 39-17 which included an Omalka Gooneratne hat trick.
The Last Lap
Only Royal College stood in the way of Isipathana’s Triple Crown, having to take on the Reid Avenue boys in the knock out final. Royal was one of the most improved teams of the league seeing continuous improvement and had developed a particularly formidable forward force. The Royalists had a moral boosting win against arch nemesis Trinity in the knockout semi finals with a last gasp try. The psychology of the Royalists was bound to be at a high and with the backing of Sanath Martis the Royalists were going to be a tough team to beat.
The Prestige
As was expected Royal came out all guns blazing players and spectators alike. Both teams were dishing out scintillating rugby in the deafening Royal College complex. Isipathana held on to a marginal lead at the break with a 12–8 score line. Royal came back strongly early in the second half to steal the lead with a superb set play seeing their Captain Nimshan Jayawardena going under the posts and converting himself. Nimshan Jayawardena kept his team within striking distance despite Pathana’s scoring. But it was not to be the retribution match for Royal as Isipathana scored once more to take a 5 point lead, 27-22. Despite the bruising efforts of the Royal forwards in the last few minutes of the game the discipline at the breakdown held for the Pathana lads giving them the game, Trophy number 5 – Knock out champions and the glorious Triple Champions title. Omalka Gooneratne was once more in the points with two tries as wells bagging the most valuable player.
In spite of their initial drawback the coaching staff and players had done well to address their weaknesses. The comeback was wonderful from the Green Jerseys and they concluded a fruitful season with the Triple Crown to their name for the 6th year.
ThePapare.com extends its congratulations to Isipathana College for a job well done.
