Royal College bounced back from a slender 3-point deficit to win the 2nd leg of the 77th Bradby Shield encounter 27 (5T 1C) – 17 (2T 2C 1P), locking away the Shield at Reid Avenue for another year, with an aggregate of 37-30.
Trinity last won the Bradby back in 2014, while Royal have secured 6 wins since then, with the 2016 edition finishing as a tie and 2020 & 2021 not being held due to Covid.
Coach Dushanth Lewke sprung a surprise in the team sheet, moving Skipper Bandara from Inside Centre to Eighth-man, as Royal made their intentions clear going into the game at home.
Meanwhile, Trinity stuck to their guns with Shan Althaf at Five-eighth and Skipper Manzil at Fullback as they entered the fray with intentions to defend a slender 3 points on the aggregate score.
The visitors got off to a lightning quick start as a scuffed drop goal effort bounced into the grateful grasp of Winger Sachindu Wanasekara, as he went over under the post within minutes of kick-off. Shan added the extras from close range as the aggregate gap increased to 10. (RC 00-07 TCK)
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Royal struck back straight away through Skipper Bandara as he went over just as the Royal maul was gaining pace in the game. Five-eighth Perera failed with the extras from under the post in unusual fashion. (RC 05-07 TCK)
Hosts Royal turned it around from then onwards as their forwards stepped up and upped the ante and Trinity were found wanting.
The Royal maul began and was unstoppable as it helped them over the line for their second try. The visitors’ lead soon evaporated with Perera adding the extras at the second time of asking. (RC 12-07 TCK)
Trinity made it to double figures off the boot of Shan, the little Fly-half kicking over a penalty from near the halfway line.
However, the Royal maul was in full flow and unstoppable with the 1st half coming to a close as Faruk Akram dived over from the tail of a maul which marched its way from close to the 22-meter line. Perera continued to struggle with kicks off the tee, but the hosts were in a comfortable 7-point lead at lemons.
Half time: Royal College 17 (3T 1C) lead Trinity College 10 (1T 1C 1P)
The Lions came out with fire in their belly, scoring minutes into the second half, courtesy a penalty try as Royal Winger Sanvidu Pathirana was sent to the bin for foul play. The 7-pointer meant Trinity were back on level terms with nearly a half of Rugby left. (RC 17-17 TCK)
The yellow to Sanvidu did not faze the Royalists as they struck back with two tries to seemingly put the game to bed.
A second try through the Royal maul meant the Trinity forwards were battered and bruised, in search of answers of how to put a stop to it.
>> Photos – Royal College vs Trinity College – Bradby Shield Encounter – 2nd Leg
The second try in the second half was scored through Nabil Yahiya. The youngster came off the bench as a sin bin replacement; he was at hand to boot a loose ball, picking it up and speeding his way to dive over, seemingly putting the game out of reach of the visitors.
Replacement Scrum Half Shafeek assumed kicking duties. However, he too failed with the pair of conversions. Nevertheless, Royal were sitting pretty with a 10-point lead going into the final quarter of the game.
Trinity College had a number of opportunities, but failed to convert a single chance in the dying embers of the game, handing Royal a deserved victory, as they closed the gap in the all-time tally: Royal 36 – Trinity 39.
Thevein Perera was handed the NDB Player of the Match for his all round game and distribution from 10.
Full time: Royal College 27 (5T 1C) beat Trinity College 17 (2T 2C 1P)
- NDB Player of the Match: Thevein Perera (RC 10)
Royal: Randul Senanayake 3T, Thivain Perera 1C, Faruk Akram 1T, Nabeel Yahiya 1T
Trinity: Sachindu Wanasekara 1T, Shan Althaf 1C 1P, Penalty Try 1
 – 17 (2T 2C 1P), which was played at Royal Complex, locking away the Shield at Reid Avenue for a 7th year running. ){kind=link}