Bradby_Shield_Encounter

Bradby Shield Encounter

Bradby Shield Encounter

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The Bradby Shield Encounter, colloquially referred to as The Bradby, is an event within Sri Lanka's school rugby union season. This annual fixture takes place between two renowned boys’ schools in the country, namely Royal College, Colombo, and Trinity College, Kandy. The encounter involves two legs, with one currently held at the Royal College Sports Complex in Colombo and the other at the Trinity College Rugby Stadium in Pallekele. The winner of the competition is determined based on the aggregate of scores from both matches, typically played a couple of weeks apart.

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This rugby fixture garners significant attention from spectators across the country. It is considered the most widely viewed rugby match in Sri Lanka, drawing larger crowds than both inter-club and international fixtures. This important event serves as a social gathering for the current and past pupils, their families, extended families and well-wishers with near-capacity attendance at venues and a significant viewership for the live broadcasts, both domestically and internationally.[1]

History

Royal College and Trinity College, two distinguished institutions of Sri Lanka, were among the pioneers to embrace the game of rugby union, with their maiden match held on the 31 July 1920, marking a historic milestone. Subsequently, this encounter evolved into a yearly tradition, where Trinity College maintained an unbeaten streak for the first two decades, until their first defeat to Royal College in 1941. Notably, in 1945, Mr. E. L. Bradby, the Principal of Royal College,[2] extended an offer to Mr. C. E. Simithraaratchy, the Principal of Trinity College,[3] proposing the donation of a coveted Shield. Mr Simithraaratchy accepted this proposal. The Shield was to be contested annually, with the victor being the college that achieved the highest total score over the two-leg series, one leg played in Colombo and the other in Kandy, as initiated in 1943.[4][5][6][7]

This annual event has persevered through the years, with the exception of the year 1971, where only the first leg was played due to the 1971 JVP insurrection. The Shield was presented to Royal College, the victors of the first leg.[8] The COVID-19 pandemic forced the cancellation of the event in both 2020 and 2021, marking the only other time in which this event could not take place.[9][10]

The Shield

The Shield, a product of Kandyan silversmiths, was bestowed upon the series by Principal E.L. Bradby before his departure from Ceylon in 1945. A wooden disk of exquisite design, it is embellished with intricate, traditional Kandyan silverwork, serving as a symbol of victory and an enduring testament to this encounter.

Following the conclusion of the second leg of the series, the Shield is ceremoniously presented to the captain of the triumphant team in an award ceremony conducted on the playing field. The winning team is then afforded the privilege of retaining possession of the trophy until the following year's contest.

Venue

The Bradby Shield encounter is generally played in two legs, one in Colombo and the other in Kandy. Historically, the Colombo match was played at Longden Place, and since 1987, at the Sugathadasa Stadium. Matches were relocated to the Royal College Sports Complex in 2002, where they have been hosted ever since. Meanwhile, the Kandy leg of the tournament was held at the Bogambara Stadium or at the Nittawela Rugby Stadium. Since 2012, this event has been contested at Trinity College's home ground, Trinity College Rugby Stadium in Pallekele.

Royal vs. Trinity rugby match results: 1920-1944

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Bradby Shield series

Summary of results

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Series results

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Royal vs. Trinity rugby matches in other competitions

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Notable people who have played

The souvenir

Since 1977, the Royal College Interact Club has published the Bradby Shield souvenir to commemorate the encounter's Colombo leg. Royal College Interact Club[17]

Bradby express

The Bradby express was the name given to the regular Intercity Express train service offered by the Sri Lanka Railways that was packed with students and old boys from both schools on their way to the Kandy leg of the encounter - hence the name Bradby Express. It started off in the 1950s and was held yearly until the mid-1980s, when it was halted due to security concerns resulting from the intensification of the Sri Lankan Civil War and the Insurrection 1987-89.

Since the end of the Sri Lankan Civil War, a chartered train dubbed as The Bradby express has served this role, transporting Royal supporters to and from Kandy for the event.[18]

Bradby golf

Former Royal and Trinity students compete for the G. C. Wickremesinghe Challenge Trophy, a golf tournament hosted at the Victoria Golf & Country Resort since 2016 before the Kandy leg of the event.[19]

Notable moments in Bradby Shield history

Match statistics

Winning the encounter after losing the 1st leg Royal 03 (1979, 1998 and 2023)
Trinity 05 (1945, 1946, 1962, 1972 and 2011)
Winning the encounter after drawing the 1st leg Royal 01 (1978)
Trinity 02 (1963 and 1966)
The biggest comeback win Royal Lost the 1st leg 18–20 in 1998, but won the 2nd leg 42–11 and the encounter by a margin of 29 points.[20]
Trinity Lost the 1st leg 25–33 in 2011, but won the 2nd leg 40–05 and overturned a deficit of 08 points to win the encounter by a margin of 27 points.[21]
Longest winning streak Royal 05 - From 2017 to 2023 (series suspended in 2020 and 2021 due to COVID-19 pandemic).
Trinity 06 - The longest winning streak in the series, between 1952 and 1957.[22]
The highest aggregate score by a team in an encounter Royal 83 points in 2002 is the record for the highest aggregate score by a team in the series over two legs.[23]
Trinity 70 points in 2012.[24]
The highest margin of victory in an encounter Royal 83 points in 2002 (83–00) is the highest recorded victory margin in the series over two legs.[23]
Trinity 56 points in 2005 (69–13).[25]
The record for the highest score achieved by a team in a single match Royal 49 points in 2015 2nd leg, is the highest recorded in a single match.[26]
Trinity 40 points in 2011 2nd leg.[21]
The highest aggregate score achieved by both teams in a single match 75 points in 2010 1st leg, with Royal winning 38–37.[27]
The highest aggregate score achieved by both teams in an encounter 126 points in 2010, with Royal winning 72–54.[28]
Drawn encounters In 1992, the Bradby encounter ended in a draw as both legs concluded with scores of 3–3 in the 1st leg and 0–0 in the 2nd leg. This marked the first time such an outcome had occurred in Bradby history.

The second drawn encounter took place in 2016, with Royal winning the 1st leg 22–17 and Trinity winning the 2nd leg 18–13.[29]

Other interesting events

  • Due to security concerns stemming from the 1971 JVP Insurrection, only the 1st leg of the 1971 contest was staged between the schools. The Shield was awarded to Royal College as a result of the 1st leg at an assembly by Mr E. L. Fernando, the then-principal of Trinity College.[8]
  • Mr. and Mrs. E. L. Bradby travelled to Sri Lanka as guests of The Royal College Union in 1983 for the 2nd leg, which also happened to be the 100th rugby football match between Royal and Trinity.[30]
  • The 2nd leg match of the 2008 contest marked the 150th meeting between Royal and Trinity.
  • The 2019 encounter marked the 75th anniversary of the series. The matches were postponed numerous times in the aftermath of the 2019 Sri Lanka Easter bombings and was played under heightened security.[31][32]
  • Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the series was suspended in 2020 and 2021, marking the first time in its history that the Bradby series was totally halted.[9][10]

See also

Notes

  1. Due to the JVP insurrection, only the 1st Leg was played in 1971
  2. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the series was suspended in 2020 and 2021

References

  1. [1]
    Stoney, Emma (25 April 2012). "A Passion for Rugby in an Unexpected Place". The New York Times. Archived from the original on 13 September 2017. Retrieved 2 October 2023.
  2. [2]
    Dissanayaka, T. D. S. A. (13 July 2003). "Sacred to the Memory of Principal E. L. Bradby". Blue & Gold. Archived from the original on 12 March 2023. Retrieved 6 August 2023.
  3. [3]
    "Mr. C. E. Simithraaratchy". Trinity College Kandy. Archived from the original on 27 May 2023. Retrieved 2 October 2023.
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    "Bradby". The Royal College. Archived from the original on 12 March 2023. Retrieved 2 October 2023.
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    "The Bradby Shield – Sri Lanka Schools' Coveted Rugby Encounter". Asia Rugby. 31 July 2020. Archived from the original on 10 July 2023. Retrieved 2 October 2023.
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    Marikar, Hafiz (30 May 2019). "The Beginnings of Bradby". Daily News. Archived from the original on 2 October 2023. Retrieved 2 October 2023.
  7. [7]
    "Back in the mane game". Quadrangle. 18 April 2017. Archived from the original on 2 April 2024. Retrieved 5 April 2024.
  8. [8]
    Ratnatunga, Janek (12 June 2021). "The 1971 Bradby – "The Shocker at the Rugger"". Sunday Observer. Archived from the original on 2 October 2023. Retrieved 2 October 2023.
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    Marikar, Hafiz (7 November 2020). "Bradby Shield: a no-go". Daily News. Archived from the original on 2 October 2023. Retrieved 2 October 2023.
  10. [10]
    Silva, Sujith (21 August 2022). "Royal in a Runaway Victory, Take 1st Leg of 76th Bradby". Quadrangle. Archived from the original on 2 June 2023. Retrieved 2 October 2023.
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    Balendra, Ken; Gunaratna, Mithila (27 July 2008). "Great buddy, born leader and thoroughly sporty helmsman". The Sunday Times. Archived from the original on 22 March 2023. Retrieved 2 October 2023.
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    "Disciplined Industrialist". LMD. 8 November 2022. Archived from the original on 12 March 2023. Retrieved 2 October 2023.
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    Dissanaike, Gishan (15 September 2016). "Michael Kagwa Snr (Ernest Mikaeri Kawalya Kagwa)". Trinity College. Archived from the original on 12 March 2023. Retrieved 2 October 2023.
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    "Africa, Trinity and the Kagwas". Trinity College. 15 September 2016. Archived from the original on 6 June 2023. Retrieved 2 October 2023.
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    Abeyratne, Hilary (15 September 2016). "Michael Kagwa Jnr (Hamilton Michael Kagwa)". Trinity College. Archived from the original on 12 March 2023. Retrieved 2 October 2023.
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    Jameel, Abidh (22 July 2021). "Silk and Steel: Denzil Lakshman Kobbekaduwa". Trinity College. Archived from the original on 12 March 2023. Retrieved 2 October 2023.
  17. [17]
    "GlidAR creates Augmented Reality experience for 75th Bradby Shield Souvenir". Daily FT. 6 July 2019. Archived from the original on 6 August 2023. Retrieved 3 October 2023.
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    Ratnayake, Yasas (20 June 2010). "The Bradby express". The Sunday Times. Archived from the original on 23 April 2023. Retrieved 3 October 2023.
  19. [19]
    Jaleel, Shamseer (20 July 2023). "Old Trinitians clinch Bradby Golf 2023". Daily FT. Archived from the original on 22 July 2023. Retrieved 3 October 2023.
  20. [20]
    Izzadeen, Saif; Seneviratne, Shane (5 July 1998). "Royal romp to record victory". The Sunday Times. Archived from the original on 13 June 2023. Retrieved 3 October 2023.
  21. [21]
    Jaleel, Shamseer (12 June 2011). "Trinity end Royal reign". The Sunday Times. Archived from the original on 13 April 2023. Retrieved 3 October 2023.
  22. [22]
    de Joodt, Ken (26 October 2015). "David and His Lionhearts". Quadrangle. Archived from the original on 9 June 2023. Retrieved 3 October 2023.
  23. [23]
    Abdeen, S. M. Jiffrey (28 July 2002). "Trinity whipped again and Royal take 'Bradby". Sunday Observer. Archived from the original on 6 August 2023. Retrieved 3 October 2023.
  24. [24]
    Abdeen, S. M. Jiffrey (1 July 2012). "Trinity retain Bradby Shield with a superb 36-20 win over Royal". Sunday Observer. Archived from the original on 4 February 2024. Retrieved 4 February 2024.
  25. [25]
    Jaleel, Shamseer (25 September 2005). "Royal bashed again. Lions on the prowl after four long years". The Sunday Times. Archived from the original on 23 January 2011. Retrieved 4 February 2024.
  26. [26]
    Walagedara, Indika (24 May 2015). "Royal regain Bradby Shield with rampaging 49-0 win". Sunday Observer. Archived from the original on 18 April 2023. Retrieved 4 February 2024.
  27. [27]
    Weerawansa, Dinesh (26 June 2010). "Can Royal tame Trinity Lions in their den?". Daily News. Archived from the original on 9 June 2023. Retrieved 3 October 2023.
  28. [28]
    Abdeen, S. M. Jiffrey (27 June 2010). "A Right Royal Bradby Win". Sunday Observer. Archived from the original on 10 March 2023. Retrieved 3 October 2023.
  29. [29]
    Kuruppu, Aubrey (5 May 2019). "A Look Back at Some Memorable Bradby Games". The Sunday Times. Archived from the original on 10 March 2023. Retrieved 3 October 2023.
  30. [30]
    Cooray, Sriyan (31 May 2020). "Spirit of the Bradby is Just Amazing". The Sunday Times. Archived from the original on 10 March 2023. Retrieved 3 October 2023.
  31. [31]
    Fowler-Watt, Andrew (1 May 2019). "The 2019 Bradby Shield". Trinity College. Archived from the original on 12 March 2023. Retrieved 3 October 2023.
  32. [32]
    Jameel, Abidh (12 June 2019). "75th Bradby Shield, 2019 – 1st Leg". Trinity College. Archived from the original on 6 February 2024. Retrieved 6 February 2024.
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