2018 Apr 19
19 April 2018
Frequently hailed as one of the oldest school sporting fixtures in the country, the Bradby Shield Encounter positions itself among the most hyped rugby events of the year. Popularly referred to as the Bradby, the event brings to the fore two leading all-boys’ schools in the country; Royal College, Colombo and Trinity College, Kandy. This year, both schools will be competing in what is the 74th Bradby encounter.
The age-old fixture consists of two exciting matches, one in Colombo, and the other in Kandy. Despite the distance between these cities, friends, fans and families, are always up to travel between the regions, papare bands in tow, for the most hyped school rugby matches of the year. The fervour of the players and fans is a thrilling testament to the passion our paradise island has for the sport, and the game is made that much more exciting given the regional rivalry at play.
As two of the first schools to take up the sport in the country, the first encounter between Royal and Trinity took place in July 1920. Taking its name from the former principal of Royal College, Mr E. L. Bradby, the sporting event dishes out some seriously competitive rugby, year in, year out. To date, over 100 games have been played between both the teams, and have even been attended by international rugby icons, such as former All Blacks’ coach, Graham Henry.
Made up of exquisite metalwork forged by Kandyan craftsmen, the coveted shield comprises of silver plating inlaid on rich woodwork. Not your average sports trophy, only Royalists and Trinitians who have put their heart and soul into defending the shield, know the true value of holding it high above their heads.
Boasting of drawing crowds by the thousands, not to mention those watching its live-stream from around the world, the Bradby has become a significant calendar event for many Sri Lankans. Given the level of preparation both teams put in, and the fierce nature of the competition, the game is a guaranteed nail-biter until the blow of the final whistle.
Very much integral to the Bradby experience is the ThePapare.com, who has been in the business of reporting on school rugby since 2009. Covering all you need to know about a range of local rugby events, the multi-dimensional sports website provides fans with colourful photo galleries, up-to-date news, in-depth previews, analyses, reports, and live action.
Having positioned itself as a leader in intelligent and entertaining sports coverage, ThePapare revolutionized rugby in Sri Lanka through their efforts in introducing the Television Match Official (TMO), to both club and school circuits in the recent past. Through the provision of detailed previews and reports, chat shows, photos, competitions, banter and fan videos, ThePapare.com has played a pivotal role in helping shape the Bradby to what it is today.
The sports savvy team, many of whom are sportsmen and women, have contributed greatly to the success of this venture. From its humble beginnings as a four-man team covering school sporting encounters, the company has grown into a leader in the sports reporting field in Sri Lanka. Having worked itself up to becoming the country’s number one sports hub; there’s nowhere to go but up.
Catch the action and excitement of this year’s Bradby Shield Encounter on the ThePapare.com! Whether you’re at home or abroad, don’t miss out on a second of coverage. Catch the battle for the coveted Bradby shield and title on the 21st of April (Colombo) and the 5th of May 2018 (Kandy).
