It’s time for Clifford Cup rugby

Hafiz MARIKAR

With the league rugby season for the year over, now it's time for Clifford Cup knockout rugby. The top eight clubs, will be seen in action.

The first quarterfinal will kick off on Thursday when defending knockout champions Kandy Sports Club play CR & FC in Kandy. On the same day at Havelock Park, Navy Sports Club will take on Police Sports Club, On the 29 Up-Country Lions SC who were to play Army Sport Club in Kandy, has agreed to play at Havelock Park, with the traveling expenses given by the controlling body. On the 30th new league champions who are riding high will play Air Force Sports Club at Havelock Park.

The first semifinal will be on October 4 at Havelock Park and on the same day the second semifinal in Kandy. The final is fixed for October 7, that is the day of the T 20 cricket final – If Kandy SC enters the final it will be in Kandy. If Kandy SC is out then the final is expected to played at Havelock Park.

There was a time when the Up-Country and Low Country group leaders clashed for the richest prize in the local rugby scene – the Clifford Cup. Then came a knockout system, searching for the ultimate strength of the two top slot occupiers for the respective groups. Thereafter came the overall knockout system considering the fact that the reputation in the league was nothing.

Once again the format of the tournament was changed and the leader of the league tournament was considered the winner of the Clifford Cup. In 1975, the format was further adjusted to give prominence to the teams who are able to score the highest number of goals. And particularly it looked as the system denied the team with the best record from a top position unless they crowned their victories with more and more tries and goals.

It was in 1950 that the cup was made into an inter-club competition for the first time. Up to then it was confined to matches beaten Up-Country, Low-Country, United Services (Kandy) and the Ceylonese.

Now the Clifford Cup competition has come a long way with most of the clubs touching it. It was in 1911, that the Clifford cup was awarded by Lady Clifford, wife of Governor Sir Hug Clifford for a match on her Birthday – that was on August 26, 1911, between all Ceylon and the United Services (Kandy).

In the very first outing the United Services (Kandy) beat All Ceylon 25-00 in 1911, then in the following year All Ceylon beat – United service (Kandy) 8-0, then in 1913 United Services (Kandy) once again beat All Ceylon 3-0.

The match was suspended during the 1st World War and not restarted until 1926, when the Ceylonese first came into it. It continued till 1938 and the most wanted rugby competition of that era, Went on till 1938.

In 1939 once again it was canceled with the commencement of the 2nd World War.

Then came the competition for the clubs in 1950, and today this is the oldest rugby tournament in Sri Lanka, the first clubs to play in the Clifford Cup were Havelock SC, CH & FC, CR & FC, Dimbulla A & CC, Kandy SC, Uva, Dickoya MCC and KV.

Capper Cup was introduced in 1895 – from 1986 no game in the good old days, after the league and the knockout championship, the Capper Cup game was played between Up-Country and Low Country The last Capper Cup game was played in 1986 at Radella.

This cup was presented to the winners of the Up-Country Low Country after the most looked forward game of the season. At the end of this game only the Sri Lanka Football Union selectors pick the national squad. Today this practice is out, and the Capper Cup game is not heard of. One of the past SLRFGU President's who was with me at the Army SC – Police SC “Plate” championship deciding game, said that that was one of the most looked forward to games.

The history of Capper Cup The cup was presented by H.H. Capper the man who organized the first Rugby International in Ceylon. Late H.H. Capper, was the owner of the ‘Times of Ceylon'.

A cable by this great rugby promoter to the All Blacks to play in Colombo was accepted. They were on their way to play in Northern Union in England.

With the Capper cup coming to my mind, I go back to the game played in 1976 at Longden Place. It was a one sided game with the Low Country side winning by 58 points against the Up-Country. This annual game was played at the end of the season.

This cup was introduced in 1895 and from the inaugural year to 1940, the Up-Country side won 21 times to Low Country’s 17 with three games ending in no decisions. From 1941 to 1946 there was no match due to World War. Then from 1947 to 1976 the Low Country side won most number of matches.

Coming back to the 1976 game, the most outstaying player was Peterite Frank Hubert, who represented Havelock SC and later became a top class referee. Today he is not in Sri Lank. But rugby fans still talk about his playing and refereeing.

In that 1976 Capper Cup game, Frank scored three superb tries, Twice he sliced through a mystified defence to score after running over 30 meters. His two centers J. Wadiyarathne a product of Kandy played for Navy SC at that time, another Kandy product G. Dayarthne playing for Police SC, as enter-three-quarters played a grand game together with the wingers M Nazeeb and David Nicolle.

Though the Up-Country side, which landed in Longden Place ten minutes lost , their forwards played a good game of rugby.

They gave their opposite number a hard time. Wing forward Clifford Elharth being the most prominent, Sunil Munasinge completely out hooked his opposite numberMohan Balasuriya another product of Kandy.

Then Uva Gymkhana Club's Gamini Samson jumped well in the lineouts. All the good work done by the forwards, did not help, because the threes lacked fluency.