After a long wait of 14 years, Zahira College Colombo has been handed a golden ticket back to the top division of the schools’ rugby league as they prepare to be back in contention for the illustrious league title.
Blast from the past
One of the four frontrunner schools in the country to take up the sport, Zahira College boasts a rich history of over 90 years in Rugby. The glory years for the school in Maradana were in the 1960’s. The team in 1962 emerged league champions defeating the heavyweights Royal College, St. Peter’s College and Trinity College.
The last known triumph of the Zahirians came in 1998 when they took possession of the President’s Cup but with the turn of the century, the school hit a distinctive low with the team relegated to the lower ‘B’ division in 2003.
Last Season
Last season was a season of redemption for Zahira as they finally accomplished what they had yearned for ever since they were relegated; getting their ticket to the top division. The 2016 team led by Ramzan Amit finished in the top four of the plate division allowing them to proceed to the top tier.
Players to watch
Azhar Irfan: 5th year player and captain for this year, Azhar Irfan will look to lead his team on a fresh challenge in the top division. Having played four years in the college jersey as a powerful second-row forward, he was a part of the outfit that brought the team back into the top tier.
Playing this year’s season with the responsibility of the captaincy, he will expect to take his team to a sustainable mark this upcoming season.
Yuzraan Lantra: The pacey wing-three quarter was a phenomenal player for the outfit proving his worth in the #11 jersey over the years. Playing his fourth and final year for his side, he would look forward to getting his name on the scoresheet in the upcoming season. Going back to last year’s Sri Lanka Super 7’s, it was Lantra’s try in extra that got his team the win against St. Peter’s to take third place in the 2nd leg.
Hassan Razick: The other fifth-year player in the side, Hassan Razick has turned up in the center jersey for Zahira for a considerable time and this year will be a new challenge playing under new first division school rugby. He along with Zaid Singhawansa at Flyhalf will need to get their act together to take the team through the challenge.
Tuan Shifaz Amath: the retaining scrumhalf from last year’s side, he will be an important additive in the half back combinations along with Zaid and the rest of the three-quarters. Zahira has with themselves a strong three-quarter line and it will be up to him to manipulate it to good use.
Coaching staff
League title winning Isipathana coach Shamly Nawas took the challenge of bringing the team to the first division last season and this time he has with him a bigger challenge of taking the team forward in the top division.
There will be no better setting for Zahira College to come back and recreate their glory days as the present. Speaking to ThePapare, coach Shamly Nawas has high hopes vested in his team for the season.
“We will be taking the challenge match by match. The team has shown a lot of promise and I think we can go ahead towards a league title”
Squad 2017
