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| Sunday, 21 April 2002 |
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Galle to play in Caltex 'A' div rugby by LAL GUNESEKERA Galle RFC will make their debut in the forthcoming Caltex 'A' division League Rugby Championship which kicks off on May 3 with 11 sides battling for honours. Group Captain (R) Nalin de Silva, Secretary of the Sri Lanka Rugby Football Union (SLRFU), told the Sunday Observer that Galle RFC won the Caltex 'B' Division title last season (2001) and the Council approved their participation in the 'A' Division this year. Old Zahirians SC who made their debut last year finished at the bottom of the points table, losing nine games in the first-round, two in the Plate Championship and even conceding victory to Air Force. They did not even play the promotion/demotion game against Galle RFC, but continue to figure in the 'A' division again this year. The 11 sides vying for the title this year are - Kandy SC (defending champions), Army, CH & FC, CR & FC, Police, Havelocks, Navy, Air Force, Kandy Youth, Old Zahirians and Galle RFC. The first-round is from May 3 to June 30 and the second from July 5 to August 4. The fixtures meeting is on April 24. With the 60-day residential rule for foreign players to play for clubs prior to the tournament, it is unlikely that they (the clubs) will sign on any players. Most clubs were of the opinion that the cost of signing on overseas players will be too high and the clubs cannot afford. Meanwhile, Sri Lanka plays its second game in the Rugby World Cup (Asia qualifying) with Kazakhstan today (Sunday) at Taraz. The Lankans just managed to beat China 9-7 in the first game at Longden Place on April 7, while China beat Kazakhstan 57-13 on April 14. If Sri Lanka does beat Kazakhstan, they will be pitted against Hong Kong on May 18 in Hong Kong in the second-round. Group Captain De Silva also disclosed that Sri Lanka will not be playing in the IRB Singapore International 7s on April 21 and 22, and the IRB Malaysian International 7s on May 27 and 28. He said the SLRFU were informed that they cannot be accommodated and that Chinese Taipei have been included instead. Sri Lanka's Dilroy Fernando, who is the referee/trainer for the IRB in the Asian region, has been appointed by the IRB to be the Referee Assessor at the Singapore International 7s. He had the distinction of "blowing" two Rugby World Cup qualifying games (Malaysia vs Chinese Taipei in Kuala Lumpur on March 30 and Arabian Gulf vs Thailand in Doha, Qatar on April 5). |
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