Thurstan will scrum down with Wesley for the Diyanesh Rajaratnam trophy on June 11 at the CR & FC grounds, Longdon Place . Diyanesh Rajaratnam trophy was inaugurated in 1998 in memory of late Diyanesh Rajaratnam who is the only Thurstanite to have captained both cricket and rugby at Thurstan; he captained the cricket team in 1971 and rugby team in 1972.
The match is also of significance due to the fact that Rajaratnam came over to Thurstan from Wesley in 1967 and the Rajaratnam family renowned for sports had links with both these schools.
Diyanesh Rajaratnam played his first game for Thurstan in 1968 as a wing three quarter against Wesley and scored Thurstan’s first try and the match was won by Thurstan 8-3. This team was captained by Upali Hewage (currently Deputy Inspector General of Police Sabaragamuwa Range ) who rendered yeoman service to Thurstan for well over a decade in serving as its Rugby – Co-ordinator.
DIG Upali Hewage has most fittingly being invited to be the Chief Guest for the occasion. Diyanesh won fame more as a leading schoolboy cricketer and had the honour of representing Ceylon Schools team in their Indian tour of 1970 where the series was won by them.
After leaving school he continued an active cricket career and represented Nomads & Tamils in the premier division and was a Sri Lanka trialist and represented board President’s xi. He also coached Thurstan cricket for a brief period.
After retiring from first class cricket Diyanesh turned out be a leading commentator and sports program presenter for the SLBC achieving great heights as a Cricket and a Rugby commentator, this is yet another outstanding feat of this great sportsman who passed away suddenly in 1997.
Thurstan & Wesley has been playing each other regularly from 1959 and the Rajaratnam Trophy was won by Thurstan from inception in 1998 up to 2001 while Wesley has been the holders since 2002.
Both Thurstan and Wesley who played in the “A” division last year were relegated to “B” division this year and have had limited success.
LEFT TO RIGHT – Mr.Duminda Wickramahewa (Master in charge) , Ishara Galaboda, Sanoj Nanayakkara, Ishara Muthumala (Captain),Sasanka Ariyarathne, Yasiru Lakitha, Ranga Christy, Kanishka Bandara, Gamini Indrasena (Coach) LEFT TO RIGHT – Sasindu Gihan,Ajiyh Nettiya , Lahuru Dasun, Nirosh Nonis
RUGBY: Thurstan College came up with a stupendous performance to score a sensational 12 points (one goal, one try) to 10 (two tries) win over traditional rivals Isipatana College in the final of the Cup Championship of the Singer Trophy Schools under 20 Seven-A-Side Rugby Tournament played at Havelock Park yesterday. At the breather Thurstan led 12-5.
Isipatana opened scoring in the second minute when centre Ashan de Costa scored under the posts after a superb 40 metre run. He missed the conversion. Two minutes later, Thurstan snatched the lead when off a five metre scrum their scrum half Lahiru Dasun scampered through to touch down under the posts. Sanoj Nanayakkara made no mistake with the conversion.
In the sixth minute Thurstan increased the lead when Sanoj Nanayakkara made a break in midfield but was brought down a few metres from the goal line but fly half N. P. Nonis who was backing up picked up the ball and scored mid left. Sanoj Nanayakkara failed to add the extra points and Thurstan led 12-5 at ‘lemons’. In the fourth minute, after resumption Isipatana’s winger Kasun Gamage scored mid left after a powerful 40 metre run but Ashan de Costa missed the conversion much to the dismay of their supporters and Thurstan ran out worthy winners by 12 points to 10. Dharmapala Nimal refereed. Prince of Wales College, Moratuwa bagged the Plate Championship by beating Piliyandala MMV by 10 points (two tries) to 5 (one try) in the final. In the semi finals, Prince of Wales beat Maliyadeva 22-0 while Piliyandala MMV overcame Eheliyagoda MMV 17-0. Isipatana ‘B’ clinched the Bowl Championship with a smashing 24 points (two goals, two tries) to nil win over Ananda ‘B’ in the final. In the semi finals, Isipatana ‘B’ beat Asoka MV 29-0 while Ananda ‘B’ overcame Nalanda ‘B’ 15-0
September 19th, 2005 will go down memory lane as a historic day for rugby at Thurstan. For all Thurstanites there was a dream !! – to beat Isipathana at the Annual Abdul Jabbar Trophy. This dream had eluded Thurstan rugby players for 38 long years, but on this day 15 lads made this dream a reality.
Yes, Thurstan beat Isipathana 15 points [ one goal, one try & one penalty ] to 6 [ two penalties ]
The closest that Thurstan had come was a draw in 1975 under Tissa Wickramanayaka, but Thurstan had twice beaten Isipathana in 1998 & 2000 at the President’s Trophy and also in 1963 in the infancy of rugby at both colleges when it was not played for a trophy.
There was much drama before the game itself, when the Old boy Rugby section of both schools could not agree on the venue for the match. But saner counsel prevailed and it was ultimately agreed that this traditional game was much more important for the two schools and for the set of players of both teams than other trivia.
Both Schools had much to play for. The winner was assured of a place on this year’s President’s trophy and also promotion to Division 1 next year.
Hence the game had all the ingredients of a tight match with no quota asked & none given.
The rugby players of both teams did not disappoint the large crowd that thronged Longden Place to witness this game with clean ferocious play.
Thurstan opened scoring within the first 5 minutes when they worked the three quarter line and drawing the Isipathana defense and a perfectly timed grubber kick was chased by the two Thurstanite centres and Thilina Lakmal scored mid right towards the CR hockey ground end. Thurstan place kicker Dilan Perera’s kick just veered out of the left upright and Thurstan was leading 5 points to Nil.
Next 20 minutes saw play between the 25 meter mark of the two halves, each team trying to probe the defenses of the other but not successful in penetrating it. Almost on the stroke of half time, Isipathana were awarded a penalty for an infringement 30 meters out almost at the centre which the Full back Reza Mubarak duly obliged. At the breather Thurstan were leading 5 points to 3.
Soon after resumption, Thurstan missed a golden chance to increase the lead when Dilan Perera fluffed an under the post penalty 30 meters out much to the disappointed of the Thurstanites.
Thurstanites were really dominating the game in this half, both territorially and with some threatening moves, but mistakes at vital moments deprived them of scoring opportunities which were there for the taking
In one of the rare moments when Isipathana took play to the Thurstan half, a missed clearance by the Thurstan full back Munna & at the subsequent melee, Isipathana were awarded a penalty almost at the same place where Thurstan place kicker missed the conversion. But Isipathana place kicker was spot on and Isipathana were leading for the first time with 6 to 5 with about 10 minutes to full time.
With Isipathana taking the lead with only a few minutes to go, thought were haunting the Thurstan supporters – will this be another year ” so near but yet so far ” as in the mid 90’s when Thurstan leading till the very last minute saw Boran the illusive Isipathana scrum half picking the ball from a scrum mid way and slipping one tackle after another to score a match winning try under the post.
But this year the Thurstanites were made of much sterner stuff, and they kept hammering at Isipathana line & were awarded a penalty mid left on the 25 meter line. When Dilan Perera placed the ball and took steps back to steady himself for the kick, players as well as the supporters were all glued & biting their finger nails to see whether his kick will go between the post or kick awry as he had done on 2 occasions already in the match. But this time he got it dead centre much to the relief of all the Thurstanites and Thurstan were leading 8 points to 6 with less than 5 minutes of play including injury time remaining before the referee Orville Fernando will blow for full time.
Isipathana were not going to go down without a fight and immediately took play to the Thurstan 25 in front of the CR Pavilion and worked the line to the left winger who was bottled up near the touch line. In the ensuing melee, Thurstan right winger, the tall Shane Aravinda picked up the ball virtually out of the blues and ran a good 75 meters along the right touch line evading desperate tackles from 2 Isipathanians and once he crossed the touch line ambled along to touch down under the post and bury the traditional rivals and to put the issues beyond doubt. This try was converted for Thurstan to lead 15 Points to 6.
Within a few minutes after the Kick off, full time was blown and throngs of Thurstanites both old & young swamped the ground to hug the 15 lads who all made this possible.
Thurstan fully deserved the victory as they looked the side always on the look out for tries as Isipathana cut a sorry figure with their outside backs playing senseless rugby much to the disappointment to their supporters and the two coaches Hisham Abdeen & Champika Nishantha. Only their forwards made forages but were stopped by a determined pack ably lead by the Skipper Amila Eranda who was in the thick of things and urging the team mates to drive towards the Isipathana goal line. He has had a fine season and will join the select band of Thurstanites who had been successful in sports as well as in academic studies as he has passed his AL’s with 2 A’s & a B.
The most happiest person on the ground could have well being the Chief Guest, Thurstan Old Boy Noel Joseph who was mainly instrumental in arranging the Sponsorship from the Orange Group of Companies for RS 1 Million for Thurstan Rugby for 2005 & 6.
Orange Group too must be happy they have backed a winning team
There were many behind the success of the team. First, the two coaches, Gamini Indrasena former Isipathana & Havelocks player & Asanga Rodrigo the current Sri Lanka & CR player, former Royal & CR Player Vipula Dharmadasa was always at hand to give some valuable expert advice.
Thurstan OBU handed the destinies of Thurstan Rugby to the Junior OBU and they formed Junior OBU Rugby Development Committee headed by Sujeewa Perera with the Rugby Captain of 1993 Suranga Kulawickrama as the secretary.
Their credo was to ” Honour & Glory ” and the Vision was to revive Rugby at Thurstan and thus be among the best in schools & their Primary Mission was to win the Abdul Jabbar Trophy. This they have been successful in the first year itself. For this I am sure they have sweated much, many trials & tribulations and they were also successful in obtaining for the first time Sponsorship for any Sports at Thurstan.
You could feel the joy & happiness of the committee members when the final whistle was blown.
There were many Rugby Captains & players of yesteryear to witness this historic achievement and I am sure their eyes would have become moist as this team of 2005 achieved what was becoming ” mission impossible ” to win the Abdul Jabbar Trophy, which eluded them when they represented College. This series of matches commenced in 1967 under the captaincy of Managla Ratnayaka [ now domiciled in New Zealand ] for Thurstan & Juranghan Savangan for Isipathana, both being dashing wing forwards for their respective Schools and Savangan after college played with much distinction for Police. This match for the trophy was played continuously except in 1972 when Isipathana did not play Rugby due to a ruling by the SLRFU. Thus in 38 outings, Isipathana has won 36 times, one being drawn and the loss this year.
