Trinity Lions Outplay S. Thomas’ to Win 36–19, Top the League Table, and Retain the Prestigious Cannon De Saram Shield
Scrum and Engage Scripted by Brian Thomas
Edited by Christopher Jordashe, reporting for SriLankaSports.com
The Thomians, for reasons best known to them, had an off day on the field and, surprisingly, could not keep pace with the Lions’ style of play from the get-go.
Eyebrows were raised as to why the home team—despite retaining the majority of possession in the second half—opted against playing for territorial advantage. Instead, they attempted to run the ball from their own 25 against a strong Trinity defence, committing continuous infringements without making meaningful headway. The Thomians’ body language was markedly different, lacking the intensity and aggression shown in their previous game against Isipathana.
It was appalling to note that the majority of their lineouts were lost—nine in total—along with 12 unforced errors. They even lost two loosehead scrums and allowed the Lions to run riot. Trinity also won several turnover rucks, further diminishing the Thomians’ chances of narrowing the scoreline.
The Thomian forwards looked limp against a well-oiled Trinity pack—despite Trinity missing their main pick-and-drive player, Arkash Fernando, the big second-rower red-carded in the last game.
In our books, this was not the same Thomian team that turned up against Isipathana. Trinity was far superior in all facets of the game. The Thomian defence seemed to be ball-watching at times, especially when the Lions spread the ball with crisp passing and ran their phases at pace, creating space and capitalising when the defence faltered.
Credit to the Lions—they dished out flashy, open rugby and richly deserved their comprehensive win, despite being underdogs in the breezy den of the Thomians.
St. Thomas’ showed promise in patches, but the lack of scoreboard pressure, coupled with Trinity’s pace and defensive resilience, took a toll on the talented Thomians.
Trinity opened the scoring right from the kickoff, moving play into Thomian territory. Off a driving maul, playmaker and co-deputy skipper Kumarasinghe scored mid-right, and Weerawansa converted with precision.
Trinity 7 – STC 0
St. Thomas’ struck back immediately, gaining territorial advantage through the boot of Bulathsinghala. Liyana Gunawardena scored off a cut-out pass, but the try went unconverted.
Trinity 7 – STC 5
Then came a moment of Champagne Rugby from Trinity. Using their forwards’ rush, all eight players handled the ball before Kumarasinghe crossed the whitewash for a brilliantly converted second try.
Trinity 14 – STC 5
The Thomians, guilty of losing nine lineouts, conceded Trinity’s third try through a rolling maul that extended their lead.
Trinity 19 – STC 5
Then came the try of the match—a wraparound pass saw Shan Altaf beat the Thomian defense and score on the right flank. Trinity showcased classy, open rugby.
Trinity 24 – STC 5
Just before the 20-minute water break, the Thomians lost yet another lineout. Trinity capitalized again, scoring from a rolling maul on the mid-left. They entered the break with a commanding lead.
Trinity 29 – STC 5
By now, the Lions had the scent of victory and started spreading the ball wide. St. Thomas gained some ground by kicking a loose ball in their own territory, attacking the Trinitians’ fringes. They were awarded a penalty as Trinity’s line slumbered, and skipper Wickramasuriya powered over the whitewash.
Trinity 29 – STC 12
Trinity camped in the Thomian half for almost 20 minutes. Credit to the Thomian defense, which held firm for a while, but eventually, Trinity worked their line through the forwards and scored near the corner flag. This time, Altaf made no mistake with his boots.
Trinity 36 – STC 12
St. Thomas responded with an excellent try, pouncing on a breakdown and forcing a lineout in Trinity’s red zone. They scored a brilliant try, converted beautifully by Mayanka Dias.
Trinity 36 – STC 19
The final whistle blew with Trinity slowing down the tempo, having the game well within their grasp. They remain unbeaten, finishing 36–19.
St. Thomas lost nine lineouts, committed 12 unforced errors, and allowed Trinity to dictate terms at the mauls—appalling, to say the least.
Trinity coach Fazil Marjah was humble in victory, giving full credit to his boys for the Champagne Rugby they played in a high-pressure match. He quickly added that the Thomians were still competitive.
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