The Trinity Lions woke up from a 38 year slumber as they roared and roared in rediscoveringt that symbolic Lion like kill to the crowning moment of becoming the Schools’ League Champions from a near four decade wait in pulling off a nail biting 23 to 21 triumph over a reincarnated high flying Wesley College that had taken the season Trojan like to coming close to a historic title hurrah that was extinguished by the Lion hearts from the hill country at Pallekele on Saturday.
That the Trinity-Wesley clash was to witness a touching element of one of two greats this 2025 year denied of that trophy glitter champagne euphoria in Wesley which had reached king sized best demonstrated by the hammering of Royal College in their own mighty backyard domain was indeed the lamentable bitter pill of being stopped in their tracks in a defining showdown where Trinity College made the ultimate difference driven by their giant playmaker Shan Althaf who shone multi faceted.
Indeed, Althaf it was who descended in the magnificence of changing a 5-7 down half-time setback in stamping his name in characteristic facile style of stamping his name as ‘the’ invincible force to Trinity sitting at the schools’ summit of the game where others had fallen before his firepower.
Trinity’s unbeaten domination in bringing down Wesley, a quarter that had by and large truly anointed themselves as the new force of schools’ rugby, was in the culmination of three tries, a conversion, a penalty, and a drop goal in that 23 points to Wesley’s gallantry of 21 points in a truly rib bruising drama of memorable rugbyfare.
Wesley drew first blood through centre Danush Dassanayake touching down in the 22nd minute with fullback Abdul Haadhi converting to lead 7-0 lead by the 23rd minute.
Trinity was quick to reduce the lead 5-7 by an unconverted try by the 29th minute by lemons.
The turnaround saw Trinity’s lock Akash Fernando, touched down by a powerful burst from a possesive maul. Althaf was spot on converting to putting Trinity ahead 12-7 by the 38th minute.
Trinity by now was in full flow going for the kill with No.8 Shrayan Sathiskumar barging through Wesley’s defence and over the line for another 46th minute try and Trinity led further 17- despite the missed conversion. Althaf put to play his super skill firing a brilliant 40-metre penalty with Trinity in a 20-7 ascension and went on to touch sky high stardom executing a great drop goal from 22-metres in the 58th minute to put Trinity in a box seat 23-7.
At this stage of the game Wesley fought back with flanker Naham Hemanchandra planting a try in the 62nd minute to reducing the deficit to 14-23 with Haadhi converting. Trinity were denied of a try when the referee ruled out an intercept try by Althaf as a knock-on in the 63rd minute.
Wesley fought to the last wirh lock Hamdan Shrafraz scoring a try in the 71st minute which was converted by Haadhi to Wesley going down bravely 21-23.
Trinity’s glorious comeback had much to do by the tremendous guiding influence of Head Coach Fazil Marija, the former Kandy SC snd Sri Lanka great, and the superb captaincy of centre Usmaan Shafraz.
Trinity reached champagne status with a game to go against St.Peter’s.