Wesley ready to make a lasting impression this season
Wesley College, with as many as 11 senior players in their line-up will be determined to make a lasting impression in the current Inter-Schools Under-20 rugby season.
They have already got off to a good start in the ‘A’ Division League Tournament having defeated Vidyartha College by a convincing margin of 38-7 in their opening fixture at Longden Place.
The current set of players have a great understanding between each other and have been performing together for quite some time since they emerged Under-16 champions three years ago. Now most of them are into their final year of schools’ rugby and they are very keen to complete their career on an impressive note with a good performance in the league and knock-out tournament.
In fact, in 2019 when the tournament was last held, the Wesleyites performed creditably to reach the final of the knock-out championship before eventually finishing runner-up after losing the final 15-18 against St. Peter’s College at the Royal Sports Complex.
Altogether, it was a very productive season for Wesley as they also had the satisfaction of overcoming Trinity College 16-7 in their last League Tournament Cup Championship fixture at the Sugathadasa Stadium. Another high point in Wesley’s performances during the 2019 season was when they stunned the former league champions Isipathana College 29-18 at Havelock Park and edged out St. Joseph’s College 15-13 at Longden Place.
This season Wesley will battle it out in the Division 1 Group-2 of the League Tournament alongside St. Peter’s, Isipathana, Science College, Vidyartha and Dharmaraja.
Their main goal of course, will be to finish among the top two teams of this tough group in order to qualify for the prestigious Cup Championship segment of the league tournament.
The Wesleyites this year will be led by full back Tharusha Jayaweera and the other stand out players are scrum half Rigesh Muralidharan, fly half Shaveen Jayawardana and prop forward Hafiz Thabeeth who scored back-to-back tries during their victory against Vidyartha.
Wesley College First XV Rugby Pool:
Prop forwards: Kaveesh Jaymon, Saabith Musheen, Hafiz Thabeeth, Shem Elisha.
Hooker: Abdullah Sideek, Miraj Miskin.
Second row forwards: Shaheer Hassim, Shem Mendis, Akinda Gammanpila, Ruchith Hapugalle.
Flankers: Dinesh Srimantha, Shaheen Jaymon. Nimshan Lawrence, Sheal Samuel, Chamod Nimsara.
Number Eight: Shehan Fernando, Isuru Perera.
Scrum half: Rigesh Muralidharan.
Fly half: Wahidh Hossain, Shaveen Jayawardana.
Centres: Kavitha Amaneth, Dillon de Silva, Deron de Silva, Shane Hopwood, Avishka Jayasingha.
Wingers: Saadhi Rasheed, Sandul Gammanpila, Jehan Weerabangsa, Nithila Sanwidu, Mishael Amath, Maleesha Thirangama.
Full back: Tharusha Jayaweera (Captain), Aaron Corea.
Coaches: Shehan Dias, Saliya Handapangoda.
Upcoming fixtures:
July 16 vs Science College at Longden Place.
July 23 vs St. Peter’s College at Bambalapitiya.
July 30 vs Dharmaraja College at Nittawela Stadium.