Sports

Champs Trinity eye back-to-back League Titles

The newly crowned President’s Trophy Knock-Out Tournament champions Trinity College will hope to complete a grand double when the 2026 Inter-Schools Under-19 League Rugby Tournament gets underway next week.

The Trinitians will come out for the first time when they take on the newly promoted Lumbini College outfit in their League Tournament Group 1A opener on April 25 on their home grounds at Pallekele.

Trinity are the favourites to top this group with relatively easy fixtures against hometown rivals St. Anthony’s College, Sri Sumangala College and D. S. Senanayake College with the decisive game against arch-rivals Isipathana College scheduled for May 24 at Havelock Park.

Trinity are the defending League champions and they have all the reasons to feel confident following their massive win over traditional rivals Royal College in the President’s Trophy Knock-Out Tournament final.

“I think the boys executed their game plan to near perfection on the field and all their preparations and the hard-work ultimately produced results in the knock-out tournament,” Trinity Head Coach Fazil Marija said after the final.

“We don’t have physically big players and because of that we have to be fit and strong and play fast open rugby to survive and overcome all the challengers,” Marija said.

Trinity, of course, went into the President’s Trophy final under tremendous pressure after having lost last year’s final to the same opponents.

“I think we learnt a lot from last year’s knock-out tournament final where we conceded the game at the last moment but this time the boys put their heart and soul to turn the match in their favour,” Marija added.

Trinity Captain and dynamic full back Shan Althaf believed that their success in the President’s Trophy Knock-Out Tournament will be a huge morale booster ahead of the League Championship.

“This is just the first-stage of the season and we have a very long season ahead of us and I hope the players will stick to the same game plan and perform the basics and keep training hard to achieve the desired results,” Althaf said.

Trinity College Rugby Squad for 2026

Prop forwards: Misala Perera, Naheel Jayah, Shamas Rodrigo.

Hooker: Rithika Weragama, Yashan Kavsidu.

Second row forwards: Evin Jayasena, Vihanga Indusara, Akash Fernando.

Flankers: Nisith Kumarasinghe, Hamza Abdeen, Shane de Soyza, Thisara Paris.

Number 8: Achintha Jayasena.

Scrum half: Udan Wijekoon.

Fly half: Abdul Malik.

Centres: Sadeesha Weerawansa, Dimantha Ambepitiya, Bilal Nazeer.

Wingers: Kevin Weerakoon, Ammar Manzil, Ridma Nimneth.

Full Back: Shan Althaf (Captain).

Head Coach: Fazil Marija.