|
|
 |
 |
| Sunday, 24 August 2003 |
 |
|
 |
Sports |  |
| News Business Features Editorial
|
SLRFU must make every effort to get IRB status for Sri Lanka - sponsors by LAL GUNESEKERA Sri Lanka Rugby Football Union (SLRFU) must make every endeavour for the sake of the country and the sport to get International Rugby Board (IRB) status for the Singer-SriLankan Airlines International 7s as soon as possible and we need that commitment from the controlling body. These sentiments were expressed by both Hemaka Amarasuriya (Chairman of Singer) and Chandana de Silva (Head of Corporate Communication's of SriLankan Airlines). Speaking at a media briefing held on Thursday at the Galadari Hotel in view of the 5th edition of this event to be worked off at the Bogambara Stadium on September 5, 6 and 7. Hemaka Amarasuriya thanked Kandy Sports Club for innovating this type of event and that Singer's dividends will come only if the standard of rugby improves in Sri Lanka. He also requested the SLRFU authorities to take note of the high standard displayed by certain schools this season and the large crowds that witnessed these games. He further said that his establishment has been a major sponsor of sports over the years and are committed in sponsoring events of this nature in the future too. He said that Singer are fully pledged with the government's policy of sports tourism and making the peace dividend meaningful. Chandana de Silva commented that he wanted to see the Singer-SriLankan International 7s on par with the Hong Kong and Dubai 7s and see a lot of foreigners coming to the country to witness this event. He said that SriLankan Airlines will continue with this sponsorship and thanked the team sponsors like DHL, Dialog GSM, Standard Chartered Bank, Airbus Industry, Hong Kong Aero Engine Services Limited, CFM International and Rolls Royce. He further said that SriLankan Airlines were happy to be involved with the sponsorship of the air travel of the 15 overseas teams and also the international referees from Japan, Germany, Hong Kong and Singapore as well as the rugby co-ordinators from Europe. Iswan Omar (Chairman of the Organising Committee) thanked the main sponsors - Singer (Sri Lanka) Limited and SriLankan Airlines, as well as Connaissance de Ceylan and Associated Newspapers of Ceylon Limited (Print Sponsors). He also hoped that this event will get IRB status very soon and that various kinds of "entertainment" has been organised to make this Rugby Festival a grand success this year. Omar further said that on the first day, the pool games of the Schools 7s will be worked off from 1 pm to 5.30 pm, while the International pool games on September 6 will be from 10 am to 6 pm and on the final day (September 7) the quarter-final games of both the Schools and International events will be from 8.30 am to 6 pm. He also disclosed that five international referees will officiate at this event together with those from the Sri Lanka Rugby Referees Association (SLRRA). They are Taiso Hirabayashi from Japan, Bernd Gabbei from Germany, Blair Collier from Hong Kong, Kelvin Lawrence also from Hong Kong and Malcolm Rowe from Singapore. Priyantha Ekanayake (Deputy President of SLRFU and Vice President of Kandy Sports Club), who is also the Tournament Director, also thanked all the sponsors and hoped that this tournament will not only help to improve the standard of rugby in Sri Lanka, but also increase the spectator interest. George Simpkin, who has been designated the Tournament Consultant, disclosed that the draw was made earlier at the request of several teams. In the International 7s the groups are as follows: Group 'A' New Zealand Centurions, Kenya, Morocco and Arabian Gulf, Group 'B' Portugal, Cook Island, Belgium and Singapore, Group 'C' South Korea, Hong Kong, Germany and Malaysia, Group 'D' Australia Potoroos, Chinese Taipei, Denmark and Sri Lanka. The Groups for the Schools 7s is as follows: Grouup 'A' Royal, Isipatana, Ananda and Matale RFU, Group 'B' St. Anthony's, Wesley, Thurstan and Dharmaraja, Group 'C' Kingswood, St. Peter's, St. Sylvester's and Sabaragamuwa RFU, Group 'D' S. Thomas', Vidyartha, Trinity and Ruhunu RFU. Last year (2002), the International 7s Cup category was won by Portugal beating Kenya 24-21, South Korea won the Plate beating Malaysia 27-26 and Hong Kong won Bowl beating India 50-0. Sri Lanka beat India 36-19, Belgium 33-10 and South Korea 17-4 in the group games, while in the Cup category, the Lankans beat Arabian Gulf 24-5 in the "quarters", but lost to Kenya 0-33 in the "semis". Also present at the briefing were Chandra Wickremasinghe (Chairman of Connaissance de Ceylan), Asitha Abeysekera (Marketing Director of Singer), Prasanna Subasinghe (Promotions Manager of SriLankan Airlines) and Mohan Balasuriya (President, SLRFU). |
|
News | Business | Features
| Editorial | Security Produced by Lake House |
