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Message: <blockquote data-quote="skywalker" data-source="post: 2207068" data-attributes="member: 38393">Finest school game for a long timeSharm de AlwisThe car park was choked and the pavilion was packed to the rafters as if to down-grade the Bradby and we who had paid for a seat in the pavilion were often watching the spectacle standing because of the mounting excitement.This was heady stuff even if I mix the tenses in reflective journalism. It was the finest game in inter-school rugby seen for a very long time. The game was played at a scorcher and the fact that Royal withstood the do-or-die onslaught of a Peterite attack that was rejuvenated in the death throes should be attributed to fine drilling by their coaches, C.P.P.Abeygunawardena, Nizam Jamaldeen and Viraj Prasantha.Royal were perched on Peterite territory for much of the game and they also had the greater possession. What possession the Peterites got they squandered with aimless kicking and line kicks which returned the advantage to the foes. They never indulged in one chip kick or a kick to the box for the winger to flee with ball. Their number 8, Noor was a marked boy and received some bone crusher tackles. They lost a game that could easily have been won.I asked for a synopsis from Ranil Prematilake who although, like me, looked askance at oval balls, has seen more rugger than any pig's bladder in the rugger ball. My first few calls were aborted. I thought of Robert Bruce and the spider and tried again.Ranil spoke of injuries sustained by the Peterites in the game against Trinity and re-emphasised that Noor had been heavily marked. He spoke of the plus factor of the home ground advantage, that Royal were clear favourites and that Royal had peaked at the correct time with the Bradby a week away.Having shared some thoughts with someone a pitch above me and who never gets anonymous hate letters from the riff-raff, I would contend that Royal wanted to lull themselves into false pretences with the Bradby in mind a little learning is dangerous particularly when the school's motto is Learn or Depart.I will quote from the poet: Shadwell alone of all my sons is he Who stands confirmed in dull stupidity. Others to some faint meaning make false pretence But Shadwell never deviates into sense I know that Shadwell will be multiplied by 15 come the Bradby.Trinity may have a lone coloursman in the captain and so had Royal in 1949 when Geoff Weinman captained them. Trinity has in Ruzmi Ramzeen arguably the best number 8 in schools today. Vishvajith Wijesinghe with eight has the highest tally of tries in the season with three matches left for play.Fiesty all-round player and captain, Milinda Gunawardena and his deputy Pulasthi Gamage have terrific support with the return of Avinda Bulanwewa, Hasindu Dassanayake, nippy Adeeb Hameed, Idris Omar, burly Ishrath Singhalakshana, Roshan Vidanagamage, Kennan and Shennan Armstrong, Ishan Mohamed, Surendra Alwis, Damith Dissanayake, Chathuranga Wijesinghe, Tuan Kitchilin, Mohamed Riyazy, Nimesh Yatawara, Ahamed Fahad and Rahal Balasuriya who has decamped from S. Thomas' and whose father, rugby Lion Ravi, virtually single-handedly won the 1977 Trinity team he captained 22-10.</blockquote>

Verification: Haya warak paha keeyada? (haya wadi kireema paha)

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