Caltex-Observer Rugby Awards today

The kings of Sri Lanka Rugby Kandy Sports Club and that superb ruggerite Sanjeeva Jayasinghe will receive the two main awards-the Most Popular Rugby Club and Most Popular Ruggerite respectively at the glittering Caltex-Observer awards ceremony at the Palm Lounge of Galle Face Hotel at 7 p.m. today.

In addition to the two main awards the best captain, best forward, best three quarter, most outstanding player and best team picked by a selection panel of the SLRFU will also receive awards at this ceremony.

The Caltex-Observer Rugby contests which has been held for almost a decade has been a tremendous boost for club rugby in the country with many of the awards winners going onto represent the country with distinction.

A case in point is last year's most popular ruggerite Dushanth Lewke who played a key role in propelling Sri Lanka into the final of the Singer Rugby Asiad with a marvellous display. Kandy Sports Club have reigned supreme in club rugby for more than a decade.

They have clinched the Caltex 'A' division league title for a record seven successive years from 2001 to 2007. They have also bagged the richest prize in club rugby - the Clifford Cup eight times during the last nine years - the only exception being 2006 when they withdrew from the tournament. They not only remained unbeaten in both tournaments but also had nine of their players donning the Sri Lanka jersey at the Singer Rugby Asiad.

Wing three quarter Sanjeeva Jayasinghe is one of the finest ruggerites produced by Sri Lanka during the last decade bringing honour and fame to the country with his deeds on the rugby field.

In 2001 he received a standing ovation from a packed stadium at the Dubai Rugby sevens with a scintillating try after a breathtaking 60-metre run against the mighty All Blacks and two years ago he scored five tries against Thailand in a World Cup qualifying match-a remarkable achievement indeed.