Joes vs Thomians: Epic Rugby Showdown for Lady Jayatilleke Shield

News Today: Joes to Take on Thomians at Schools Rugby League, Today

Today, S. Thomas’ College Mount Lavinia will take on St. Joseph’s College Colombo in a highly anticipated match at the Dialog ‘A’ Division Schools League Rugby Tournament. The game, scheduled to begin at 4:15 PM at Havelock Park, is a contest for the prestigious Lady Jayatilleke Shield.

The Thomians, led by flyhalf Yehan Bulathsinhalage, have shown significant improvement throughout the season. Although they had a rocky start with a loss to Trinity (8-31), they rebounded impressively with five consecutive wins against St. Anthony’s (24-17), Science College (30-26), DS Senanayake (29-15), Dharmaraja (46-12), and Sri Sumangala (52-3). However, they faced a setback in their final group match, losing to Isipathana (27-41).

St. Joseph’s, captained by Number Eight Vishika Fernando, has experienced a mixed season. Their victories include wins against Zahira (26-22), Kingswood (55-5), and Thurstan (47-9), but they suffered defeats to Vidyartha (22-27), St. Peter’s (10-25), Royal (19-28), and Wesley (12-34).

Yehan Bulathsinhalage is a crucial player for the Thomians, known for his powerful kicks and precise place kicking. His combination with scrum-half Venuka Wickramasuriya has been key to their success. Among the backs, centre Seneshka Liyanagunawardena, fullback Akith Cooray, and winger Mayanka Dias have consistently performed. In the forward pack, Number Eight Mckyle Karunaratne, flanker Rishen Dwight, and lock forward Eran Pereira have been standout players.

This thrilling encounter is expected to be fiercely contested, with both teams eager to claim the Lady Jayatilleke Shield.