Kandy's International Sevens in Kandy and Colombo alternatelyl

The two main sponsors of the Singer-SriLankan Airlines International Rugby 7s organised by the Kandy Sports Club requested the latter to stage the tournament in alternate years in Colombo and Kandy. However, this year's event (the eighth edition) is to be staged at Nittawela on September 15,16 and 17 which is an Asian Region International Rugby Board (IRB) Satellite event.

Marketing Director of Singer, Asitha Abeysekera, said that the tournament has grown in stature over the years with the venue being shifted from the Bogambara Stadium to Nittawela after Kandy Sports Club had upgraded its facilities. He said that they decided to continue with their support for the International 7s as Kandy SC has done a fantastic job where the finances are also concerned.

Abeysekera further said that Kandy Sports Club has agreed to consider staging the 7s in alternate years in Colombo and Kandy as the sponsors (Singer and SriLankan Airlines) want it to be a rugby carnival like the Hong Kong 7s and Dubai 7s, which attract thousands of spectators from even overseas. The Chief of Corporate Communications of SriLankan Airlines, Chandana de Silva, too expressed the same view of Singer's Abeysekera, when he said that Colombo will be the venue in alternate years.

He further said that Malik Samarawickreme and his team has done a wonderful job and that SriLankan Airlines "are there" to promote Sri Lanka to the rest of the world. He went on to say that SriLankan Airlines has introduced a special travel offer for rugby fans in the 50 destinations they fly to, with the package including airfare, hotel accommodation and transfers and tickets for the event. The Air Taxi service of SriLankan Airlines too are offering a special service to Kandy according to De Silva which connects the hill country in 30 minutes giving travellers a shorter transfer to Kandy from Colombo.

With Japan making themselves unavailable for the tournament this year, Sri Lanka, has been seeded No.4 and are in Group 'C' with Arabian Gulf and Pakistan. South Korea who are seeded No.1 are in Group 'A' along with Hong Kong and Malaysia, while Chinese Taipei, Kazakhstan and Philippines are in Group 'B'. China who are seeded No.2 are in Group 'D' with Thailand and India. The draw for the groupings was held on Thursday at Longden Place.

The 12 schools too have now confirmed their participation. They are: St. Anthony's, Science College, Ratmalana and Ananda in Group 'A'. Isipathana, Wesley and St. Joseph's in Group 'B', Kingswood, Dharmaraja and Zahira in Group 'C', while St. Peter's, St. Sylvester's and Vidyartha are in Group 'D'.

The preliminary games of the schools 7s will be worked off on September 15 from 1 p.m. to 6 p.m., while the games in both the schools 7s and International 7's on September 16 will be from 10 a.m. to 6.30 p.m., while games on September 17 will be from 9.30 a.m. to 6.30 p.m. Referees from the Sri Lanka Referees Society will officiate at the event in addition to the international panel of referees, touch judges, assessors, citing officers and a judicial officer from Japan, Hong Kong, Arabian Gulf, Thailand, Singapore and Malaysia.

The associate sponsors of the event are Amaya Resort Hotels, while the product sponsors include Lion Brewery, John Keells Holdings, Ceylon Cold Stores and many others.

L.G.