By Marlon Dale Ferreira
Isipathana College’s Vice-Captain and standout rugby player, Sahid Zumri, has earned his place among the legends of his school’s rich rugby history by being selected to represent Sri Lanka in the upcoming Asia Rugby Sevens Challenge Trophy in Kathmandu, Nepal.
Zumri, who will don the national jersey for the tournament on October 4-5, 2024, becomes the sixth Isipathana schoolboy to achieve this prestigious honor while still in school, joining an elite group of rugby greats from the institution.
Zumri’s feat mirrors the legacy first set by Hisham Abdeen, who was the first Isipathana schoolboy to represent Sri Lanka at the Hong Kong Sevens in 1980.
Since then, other Isipathana stars have followed in his footsteps, including:
- Champika Nishantha (1992) – Hong Kong Sevens
- Dinesh Kumara (2002) – Commonwealth Games
- Dinusha Chaturanga (2008) – Asia Rugby 7s Circuit
- Sajith Saranga (2007) – Asia Rugby 7s Circuit
- Sahid Zumri (2024) – Asia Rugby Sevens Challenge Trophy, Nepal
Zumri’s personal contributions to Isipathana College’s rugby successes from 2022 to 2024 are notable:
- 2022: Contributed to the League Championship victory and Knockout Runner-Up finish.
- 2023: As U18 team captain, Zumri led them to become All-Island Champions and secured the U19 7s Championship. He was named Best Player in both the U18 and U19 7s tournaments. The team finished 3rd in the League and Runners-Up in the Knockouts.
- 2024: Helped Isipathana claim their 16th Schools Knockout Championship while finishing League Runners-Up. Zumri was the Man of the Match in 4 league games and Best Player of the Schools Knockout. Over the 2024 season, he scored 7 tries, 11 penalties, and 11 conversions, amassing a total of 90 points.
Zumri’s selection to the national team reflects the continuation of Isipathana’s rugby legacy. Since its rugby inception in the 1960s, Isipathana College has produced a steady stream of top-tier rugby talent, known for their fast-paced, aggressive playstyle that has dominated the Sri Lankan schools’ rugby scene. The school has contributed significantly to the national rugby landscape, with many of its players going on to represent Sri Lanka in international tournaments, including the Commonwealth Games and Asia Rugby Sevens circuits.
Zumri’s achievements, alongside those of past Isipathana players, reinforce the school’s commitment to developing homegrown talent that continues to shine both at school and national levels.
Another notable Isipathanian who represented not one, but two nations – Sri Lanka and the Arabian Gulf (nations constituting players from UAE,Qatar,Bahrain,Oman and Saudi Arabia) was the dynamic and agile scrum-half Roger Rodrigo.
Even though not representing the country as a schoolboy, Roger Rodrigo brought great honour by being awarded the Player of the Tournament on two occassions at the international Dubai Rugby Sevens in 1990 and 1992.
