The traditional encounter between S. Thomas’ College and Trinity College will hold centre stage when the 2022 Inter-School Under-20 League Rugby Tournament returns after a lapse of two years.
This high-profile clash played for the Rev Canon R. S. de Saram Shield will be worked off on Saturday (25) at the Pallekele Stadium in Kandy.
The game will also have a great amount of significance as both teams will battle it out for the second time inside three months having played the postponed 2021 encounter in March at Havelock Park.
On that occasion, the Thomians regained the Shield after a lapse of four years with a thrilling 17-14 win and no doubt they will be keen to draw inspiration from that success when they meet their rivals once again away from home.
However, the curtain raiser match of the tournament will be between one of the top contenders St. Joseph’s College and Kingswood College at Havelock Park on Thursday (23). The Joes had a splendid season when the tournament proper was last held in 2019 and they will look to maintain the same momentum under the leadership of fourth year coloursman and centre three-quarter Teran Karunanayake.
Kingswood of course is back in the top league and they will be out to make their presence felt having received a promotion as Plate champions in 2019.
Meanwhile, the defending champions Royal College will come out for the first time this season when they take on St. Anthony’s College at the Royal Sports Complex on Friday (24).
In fact, Royal are chasing a unique record in schools’ rugby as they are determined to retain the coveted Under-20 league title for the fourth successive year.
The first week fixtures:
June 23: St. Joseph’s vs Kingswood at Havelock Park
June 24: Royal vs St. Anthony’s at Royal Complex Isipathana vs Science College at Havelock Park
June 25:Trinity vs S. Thomas’ at Pallekele
St. Peter’s vs Dharmaraja at Bambalapitiya
Wesley vs Vidyartha at Havelock Park