Inter-Plantation Rugby sevens on March 30

by S.M. Jiffry Abdeen – Kandy Sports Corr.

Darrawela – once the home of rugby in the hill country will once again have of this game when the annual inter-plantation sevens organised by Dickoya-Maskeliya Cricket Club will be worked off at the pictureque Darrawela grounds at Dickoya next Saturday March 30th with the first scrum down at 8 a.m.

No sponsor has come forward so far to sponsor Darrawela team but Dickoya has taken a bold step in sponsoring this tournament, dipping deep into its coffers. Dickoya should be complimented for taking this decision as otherwise it could in a way allow rugby in the plantations to have a natural death.

Although there are over 20 plantation companies countrywide only 8 teams have entered this championship so far. Two others gave an undertaking to enter teams but failed to turn up for the draw which was held at the Darrawela Club House on Friday-March 22 evening. Talawakelle Plantations are the defending champions and they will be there to defend their title and the other teams are Kelani Valley Plantations, Bogawanthalawa Plantations, Kotagala Plantations, Pussellawa Plantations, Agrapatana Plantation, Maturata Plantation, Kegalle Plantation.

The Organising Committee comprising D.J. Ratwatte (President DMCC), Prassantha Wanasundera (Secretary), Prabath Siritunga, Indika Guruge, Yasir Bakeer Markar, Arjuna Perera, Channa Ikiriwate, Yasith Hettiarachchi, Amre Abdeen and Niroshan Karunaratne worked out the final details at the committee meeting on Friday.

One of the decision taken was due to dearth of ruggerites among

plantations it was decided to permit three non-planters in the squad and only two of them could be in the field at any given time.