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Sports

Club rugby kick-off on May 27
By Shamseer Jaleel
Two leading sports promoting commercial institutions Caltex and Singer once again scrummed down with Sri Lanka Rugby Union (SLRFU) when they extended their sponsorship for both schools and the club sections respectively. Not only "Caltex" who are sponsoring the much looked forward league signed for yet another 5 years but also Singer Sri Lanka continued support towards the national sevens and fifteens outfits. In addition to this Singer will also sponsor 28 schools in "A" division. All these details were announced at the pre-season rugby press briefing, which took place at the Galadari Hotel yesterday.

Both Asitha Abeygunasekera, Marketing Director of Singer and Chief Executive Officer of "Caltex" Kishu Gomez said that they were happy with the progress of the SLRFU. Sri Lanka improved on their rankings from 64th to 46th in World Rugby.

President of the SLRFU, Priyantha Ekanayake said that they will be televising 20 matches (clubs and schools) in total and launching of the official SLRFU magazine Lanka Rugby News, also took place yesterday. This will be published on a monthly basis. Further he said that the national players were contracted from February this year, like the cricketers in the country and were paid in the region from Rs 5000 to 15000/- a month in three tiers according to their performances.

The players who are in the top tier are Anura Dharmatilake (CR & FC), Dilanka Wijesekera (CH & FC) and Sanjeewa Jayasinghe (Kandy SC). He stressed the importance of the youngsters being given the required exposure and all "A" division clubs will be fielding an under 23 side and that game will take place before the big game. He ended by saying that they are negotiating with the Sports Minister in order to get an own ground for the SLRFU.

Secretary General of the Asian Rugby Football Union (ARFU) Jamie Scott speaking to The Sunday Times said that the final round matches of the Rugby World Cup 2007 will be held at the 2006 Asiad, which will be hosted in Colombo during November. He further said that every rugby playing nation on the globe is being given an equal opportunity in the qualifying round stages. Asian nations will be pushing for two slots in the 2011 Rugby World Cup in New Zealand. He ended by saying if Sri Lanka head this group of China and Hong Kong then they will be playing in the group "A" at the next Asiad which is very good for rugby in the country.

The 2006 "A" division will kick off when the CR & FC host the Army SC on 27 May at Longden Place. On the same day defending champions Kandy SC will travel down to Colombo to face the Sailors at Welisara. There will be 6 teams in the top division and after the initial round it will be reduced to four. The schools season will kick off soon after the Advanced Level exam in late June.

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