Griffins Women's rugby team take on Sri Lanka Ladies

S. M. Jiffrey Abdeen Kandy Sports Corr.

The hill capital will get its first taste of foreign ladies rugby when the California based Griffins Women's Rugby team comprising many American girls under 19 ruggerites takes on Sri Lanka Ladies team in a rugger match to be played at Nittawela in Kandy on July 10 (Saturday) with the kick off at 4.30 p.m.

This match is hosted by the Central Province Rugby Football Union (CPRFU) headed by former Trinity College, Kandy SC, Dimbula, Dickoya, Kelani Valley ruggerite and one time national selector Mohan Samarakoon with the assistance of CPRFU Secretary Gamini Udugama and Chairman Development Viper Gunaratne Snr.

Mohan Samarakoon in an interview with the Daily News said that this womens rugby match will be a taste with the difference as Kandy though seeing plenty of schools and club's rugby has not witnessed representative womens rugby for a long time, may be over 25 years.

Tracing the history of Women's rugby in the hill capital, he said that womens rugby was introduced in the fifties with sports benefactors like late E.W. Balasuriya, Dr. M. Nadeson, Late M.B. Samarakoon just to name a few taking an interest and schools like Girls High School and St. Anthony's Girls College, Kandy, played the game. But this game with the conflict in the country in the eighties took a slow death and is now being resurrected by the CPRFU.

He said that a little known fact is that Aberdeen women are the World champions at rugby and therefore the fare dished out by them will be of extremely high standard.

Gracing the occasion as the Chief Guest will be the Governor of the Central Province Tikiri Kobbekaduwa.

This occasion will be also graced by the High Commissioner for USA, President of the Sri Lanka Rugby Football Union and Commander of the Sri Lanka Air Force Roshan Gunatillake. No gate will be charged for this match.

There will be also a rugby coaching clinic conducted by the three International Rugby Board qualified rugby coaches in the touring party and boys and girls between the ages of 9 to 15 are eligible to participate in this clinic which will be again hosted by the CPRFU between 8.30 a.m. and 12 noon on Saturday, July 10. Schools in the Central Province could make use of this opportunity.

This is especially open to girls schools in Kandy, Matale, Gampola and Nuwara Eliya. No fee will be charged for this rugby coaching clinic where the children could learn the basics and continue from there.

Those interested should contact the President of the CPRFU Mohan Samarakoon (Mobile 077-3069851) or General Secretary CPRFU Gamini Udugama (Mobile 071-6123396).

This will be also a fine opportunity for the women rugby enthusiasts in the Central Province to witness a rugby match played by their own species often called the 'deadlier of the species' which is rare occasion as there is very ladies rugby being played in the island.