The 50th showdown between Isipathana College and St. Peter’s College is shaping up to be an epic clash, with both teams strutting into Havelock Park tonight, unbeaten and itching for that all-important championship crown.
What’s on the line? Just bragging rights, eternal glory, and a whole lot of school pride. No big deal, right?
For a bit of history, this isn’t just any old rugby match. These two powerhouses have been locking horns for half a century, with Isipathana leading the rivalry with 25 wins to St. Peter’s 21 (and three draws thrown in for good measure). But wait—there’s a juicy twist in the tale! Legend has it that back in 1970, the scoreboard read a 5-all draw, but skeptics have been whispering about some mathematical mystery. Given that a try was worth 4 points back then, plus 2 points for a conversion, and 3 for a drop goal or penalty, everyone’s scratching their heads and wondering who did the math. Maybe the scoreboard guy was having an off day?
Despite all the drama, let’s give credit where it’s due. Isipathana only started playing the schools rugby tournament in 1965, while St. Peter’s had a 33-year head start, kicking off in 1932. Yet here we are, with Isipathana leading the pack. Talk about fast learners!
Now, let’s fast forward to today’s stakes. St. Peter’s College, the reigning champs, have racked up 48 points this season. Meanwhile, Isipathana is trailing just behind with 44 points. If the Kings of Schools Rugby want to reclaim their throne, they’ll need to pull off a win and deny the Peterites any bonus points. Easier said than done, right? But wait, there’s a catch: the losing team can still snatch two bonus points if they score four tries or if the margin of defeat is less than seven points. So, for the Peterites there’s no pressure at all. They could lose but still end up wearing the crown.
Isipathana hasn’t exactly had a smooth ride this season. They’ve pulled off some Houdini-style escapes, like their nail-biter against St. Thomas’ College, where they won 41-29 in the dying moments.
However, their pièce de résistance, though, was their last-second victory against Royal College, thanks to Shahid Zumri’s nerve-wracking penalty kick that sealed a 19-18 win. It’s like they enjoy giving their fans heart palpitations.
Now, about those unbeaten Peterites. Sure, they’ve got the stats, but they’ve also got a fair share of eyebrow-raising moments. Some say the refs have been a bit too friendly, turning a blind eye to their, shall we say, ‘creative’ tactics. Take, for example, the infamous Zahira game, where a Peterite player delivered a tackle straight out of a WWE match, but the ref somehow forgot what a red or yellow card looked like. Even the match citing officer thought it was a red card offense, but surprise, surprise, the report mysteriously vanished. Must be magic! And who can forget the touch judge in the Peterites vs. Royal game? He must’ve been daydreaming because he totally missed a Peterite stepping out of bounds. Naturally, the Peterites went on to score a try, because why not?
But the crowning moment of the Peterite season has to be the antics of their head coach, Sanath Martis, who was caught on camera giving one of his players a post-game “pep talk” via a well-aimed slap after the Vidyartha match. And this wasn’t his first rodeo. Back in 2019, he earned himself a two-year suspension from World Rugby for a similar incident. Yet, the fine folks at St. Peter’s have decided to embody the “turn the other cheek” philosophy. The Sri Lanka Schools Rugby Football Association and the Education Ministry have also conveniently decided to sit this one out, opting for the old “spare the rod, spoil the child” approach. Meanwhile, Asia Rugby has made it clear that an inquiry should be conducted, and they’re patiently waiting for the report. However, with Sri Lanka Rugby now under the Ministry of Sports, and the Minister’s seat left vacant after Harin Fernando’s exit, Martis’ fate is in the hands of the Director-General of Sports, Prof. Shemal Fernando. But honestly, who needs consequences when you’ve got a winning team and a “win at any cost” mentality, right?
To add another layer of intrigue, more than half of the Peterite starting lineup for the Royal game joined the school in 2018 or later. Poaching? What poaching? It’s just strategic recruitment, obviously.
Poaching? What poaching? It’s just strategic recruitment, obviously.
After all, when you’ve got alumni and sponsors throwing money at you like confetti, why not build a rugby dream team? Winning at any cost seems to be the motto these days, even if it means turning a blind eye to sportsmanship and tradition. Poor old Archibald Perera, the legendary Peterite coach, must be rolling in his grave at the thought of what’s become of his beloved team.
So here we are, on the brink of what promises to be a fiery showdown at Havelock Park. The stadium is expected to be packed, emotions will be running high, and security will be on high alert, because who knows what will happen when the final whistle blows?
Will Isipathana take a page out of Sanath Martis’ playbook and metaphorically slap the Peterites into submission? Or will the defending champs hold their ground and keep their crown, albeit – minus its glow?
Only time will tell. So, grab your popcorn because this one’s going to be a wild ride!
Main picture – Courtesy to rightful owner as stated in image.
