Strong outfits will make Caltex inter-provincial tourney attractive

by Lal Gunasekera

Provincial outfits like Sabaragamuwa, North Central and Uva too must be made to enter sides for next year's Caltex Inter-Provincial League Rugby Championships to attract larger crowds at matches and this tournament conducted by the Sri Lanka Rugby Football Union (SLRFU) must be made an annual event.

This was one of the comments made by the Group Brand Manager of Caltex, Shehan Perera, at a media briefing held on Friday night at the SLRFU headquarters' to announce this year's tournament to be staged from today (Sunday) upto October 8.

Perera also thanked the SLRFU administration for the "good work" done this year and hoped that they will continue to do so till 2010 when Caltex completes their sponsorship with SLRFU.

The President of the SLRFU, Priyantha Ekanayake, said that this tournament will serve as a trial for the Singer Asian Championships to be staged in Colombo from November 18 to 25 and that the SLRFU appreciates the generosity of Caltex in sponsoring this event which has replaced the R. Premadasa Trophy Knock-Out Championships.

He further said that the SLRFU were fortunes to get the assistance of the foreign coaches who were in charge of the club outfits including Tulaga "Laga" Tavita (Central Province), and Pa Enari (Wester Province), besides national coach Willie Hetaraka who will be assisting the coaches of Southern Province (Tony Amith) and Defence Services (Colonel Sunil Ranasinghe).

Ekanayake also disclosed that he annual general meeting of the SLRFU will be held in December unlike the previous years when it was held in February-March. He said: "this is for the new office-bearers more time before the season starts". The Rugby Congress too is to be held soon after the Singer Asiad.

The match schedule is as follows: September 24 - Western Province RFU vs Southern Province RFU at Havelock Park, September 25 - Central Province RFU vs Defence Services at Nittawela, September 30 - Southern Province RFU vs Defence Services at Galle, October 1 - Central Province RFU vs Western Province at Nittawela, October 8 - Central Province RFU vs Southern Province RFU at Radella and also on the same day Defence Services RFU vs Western Province RFU in Colombo.

Ekanayake said that the Sri Lanka Schools Rugby Football Association (SLSRFA) will conduct on inquiry into the unsavoury incident that occurred at the Thurstan vs D. S. Senanayake College on Wednesday (September 27) where the coach of the latter school Sudath Sampath was shown the "Red Card" by referee Pradeep Fernando who was forced later to call off the game.

He said that if the SLSRFA refers the matter to the SLRFU, then the SLRFU will refer the matter to its Disciplinary Committee for action.