The keepers of youth rugby attired in their Sunday best save face thanks to schoolboys who asked for nothing but gave it everything:
It was a repeat match that not many may have wanted to witness, but it turned out to be just the kind of finale and one that gave out many lessons to the pundits and perhaps also saved face for behind-the-scene stakeholders who were guilty of failure to ensure a trouble free inter-school rugby season for 2024.
There were no bouquets, hosannas or red carpets for the players and it was an occasion for schoolboys from both St. Peter’s College and Isipathana College to do what was not witnessed in many years as they showcased nothing short of high stakes action and more importantly after match fellowship without any pompous fanfare.
And there was no doubt about Isipathana being the undisputed winners of the President’s Trophy Knock-Out final in the same way nothing could have taken anything away from the losing Peterites who were worthy League champs, fitting finalists and the team to beat.
Every school that contested the 16-team League would have wanted to play their part on an occasion when the curtain was to come down, but interestingly that honour fell on Isipathana and St. Peter’s whose rivalry had even spilled onto the streets on past occasions.
What was needed was just two charismatic players on either side, the Peterite captain Dulaj Navodya and the play-maker of Isipathana Shahid Zumri as the two teams played their part not only on the field but off it while proving that the concept of sport is not just about winning but by the fellowship that it breeds and moulds players into role models to emulate and passed on to future generations.
It ever a schoolboy deserved a trophy named in his honour, Zumri stands out for his maturity and gamesmanship par excellent for a teenager, the stuff that ambassadors are made of.
His conduct or the background he comes from was showcased in no uncertainty when he scored what was eventually Isipathana’s winning try in the closing minutes of the game and then averted a possible bad-blood situation when he directed his team-mates to get back to their positions at a most heart-breaking turn of events for the Peterites.
Overall the message that Isipathana and St. Peter’s gave out was that schoolboy rugby players in the country deserve much more attention from the keepers of the sport found basking in the Sri Lanka Schools Rugby Football Association and who were dressed in their Sunday best watching the action from armchair comforts in the grand stand.
Every player they saw out in the middle epitomized a finished product made through pain and sacrifice and without whose presence they will not be counting the Spoils.
Pictures by Dushmantha Mayadunne
