Sports
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| Isipatana
relegated to 'B' division Singer Sri Lanka Ltd will sponsor three sevens tournaments in order to select the national side for the Rugby World Cup Sevens Asian Zone qualifying tournament. The first of the series of sevens matches started yesterday in Kandy at Nittawela will be continued today. The second one will take place on 12 and 13 of March at Longdon Place and the third tournament will be worked off in August and the venue is yet to be decided. The players will have a break in the Caltex League when the country will be featured in two of the important Rugby World Cup 2007 Asian qualifying matches in June. The national side will play Thailand on 4 June (away) and will host Singapore in Colombo on 25 June. The Sri Lanka Rugby Football Union had their Annual General Meeting yesterday at the Trans Asia Hotel in Colombo with the former Antonian Priyantha Ekanayake becoming the President of the governing body uncontested. With his vast experience on and off the field much is expected from him to bring back the good old days. Priyantha who is a double international (Represented Sri Lanka in Rugby football and Basketball) started his club career by playing for the Kandy SC and crossed over to CR & FC, CH & FC before ending at where he started at the Hill capital club. He led the national team at four consecutive Asiads. He will also become the first person to play, lead the national team and be the president of the governing body when the country hosts the 20th Asiad in Colombo in 2006. Earlier Sri Lanka hosted two Asiads in 1974 and 1990. Dilroy Fernando who has been recognized by the International Rugby Board (IRB) took over the much important Secretary job at the SLRFU. Dilroy who played for the "Green Shirts" in 1982 and later played for CR & FC and done the national jersey as a fly half. He is also the chairman of the Isipathana Rugby Sevens Committee. The post of Treasurer saw Shantha Kurumbalapitiya being appointed uncontested as Vimal Perera withdrew at the last minute. Meanwhile Sri Lanka Schools Rugby Football Association (SLSRFA) have re-schedule the inter league tournament due to postponing of the Advanced Level examinations. The schools league will now kick off on July 23 and will continue till September 6. The president Trophy schools knock out tournament will be worked off in Colombo from September 23 to October 9. However the Under 19 sevens will be worked off in Colombo on 7 and 8 May as schedule. St Joseph's College and St Peter's College will be promoted to the top division while St Anthony's Katugastota and Isipathana College will be demoted to the "B" division in the league. The school season will have its curtain raiser game on 23 July when the defending league champions Kingswood lock horns with St Joseph's College Colombo. On the same day Royal will come out first time for the season under their skipper and fly half Varun Wijewardena when they confront St Thomas' College in another important fixture. Kingswood College will be led by Eranda Weerakody. With the season kicking off so late due to the examinations the schools rugby calendar will come to an end with the second leg of the "Bradby Shield" being played on 24 September in Colombo. |
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