Singer Schools under 20 rugby tourney kicks off on July 21

BY CHRIS Dhambarage

THE Singer Schools under 20 league rugby tournament conducted by the Sri Lanka Schools Rugby Football Association and sponsored by Singer Sri Lanka Limited will kick off on July 21 with a card of 18 matches down for decision in Colombo and in the outstations.

The defending champions Kingswood College are drawn in group 'A' along with the last years league runners up Royal College, Wesley College, Ananda College and S. Thomas' College.

St. Joseph's College who won the division two title last year and the runners up St. Peter's College have been promoted to the top division from this year.

However Isipatana College and St. Anthony's College Kandy who were placed at the bottom of the division one 'A' division tournament last year have been demoted into the 'B' division competition from this year.

They will be joined by St. Sylvester's College, Thurstan College, Dharmaraja College, Science College and Zahira College. The teams competing in the division one 'C' division tournament are Lumbini College, Prince of Wales College, Vidyartha College, Carey College, Nalanda College, Trinity College and Royal College Panadura.

D. S. Senanayake College, St. Benedict's College, St. Anne's College, Mahanama College, Richmond College, Piliyandala Central and St. Aloysius College will battle for honours in the division one group 'D' tournament.

The division two tournament group 'A' will comprise of Maliyadeva College, Bandaranayake College, Asoka College, Sri Rahula College, Kannangara College, Piyaratne College and Sri Sumangala College.

The division two tournament group 'B' will include Dharmapala College, Lalith Athulathmudali College, St. John's College, Kegalu Vidyalaya, Royal Horana, S. Thomas' Matara and Ehiliyagoda College.

Singer Sri Lanka will also sponsor 22 schools namely Royal College, S. Thomas' College, Ananda College, Vidyartha College, St. Anthony's College, Thurstan College Richmond College, St. Aloysius College, Mahanama MV, Piliyandala Central, St. Sylvester's College, Prince of Wales College Moratuwa, Nalanda College, Dharmaraja College, Wesley College, St. Peter's College, St. Joseph's College, Science College, Maliyadeva College Kurunegala, Zahira College and Moratu MV.

Singer Sri Lanka Limited are planning to telecast at least ten matches from among the fixtures played between these schools. A comprehensive development plan for rugby venues has already been formulated and is on its way to implementation.

Under this programme Singer has identified the extension of the Royal College Sports Club pavilion and upgrading at least one rugby stadium in Galle.

In the hill country building of the Singer pavilion in the Kandy Sports Club Nittawela and the Trinity College stadium, grand stand pavilion presently under construction is also part of this plan.

Singer Sri Lanka in their effort to support schools to be exposed to international rugby are also the principal sponsor annually of the Isipatana seven a side tournament.