Top rugby players in action at Carlton Sri Lanka Sevens 2009

Ranjeeva SENEVIRATNE

Rugby fans in Sri Lanka will get the rare opportunity of seeing some of the top rugby players in the world in action when the International exhibition tournament of the Carlton-Sri Lanka Rugby Sevens 2009 is worked off at the Sugathadasa Stadium from November 27 to 29, 2009.

Australian Legends, New Zealand Legends, Western Samoa Barbarians, Flji Dicibles, Papua New Guinea and South Africa pool will scrum down in the International exhibition tournament which will be conducted simultaneously with the final log of the Asian Sevens Series and the Schools Tournament.

Asian rugby heavyweights Japan and South Korea along with Asia's fourth ranked Kazakhastan, China, Chinese Taipei, Thailand, Malaysia, Sri Lanka, Pakistan, Iran Jordan and Brunei will vie for honours in the Asian Sevens Tournament. The presence of Asia's top rugby playing nations Japan and South Korea will add more glamour to the tournament as these two countries skipped the Singer Rugby Asiad in Colombo in 2007 citing security reasons.

In addition leading rugby playing schools Royal, Isipatana, St. Anthony's, St. Peter's, Vidyartha along with Nalanda, Prince of Wales, Carey, Maliyadeva, St. Anne's, Uva Province and Sabaragamuwa Province will battle it out in the schools tournament.

The tournament is being conducted by the Tharunyata Hetak Organisation in collaboration with the Interim Committee of the SLRFU with the blessings of the International Rugby Board. Rugby legend Waisale Serevi the leading try scorer in Rugby Sevens history will also be a special guest at the tournament. Serevi who thrilled rugby fans with his daring runs during his 14 year rugby career from 1989 in 2003 will accompany the Papua New Guinea team.

Leading referees from Japan, Arabian Gulf, Hong Kong and Sri Lanka will officiate in the tournament.