Carlton Rugby Sevens at Nuwara Eliya:

Northern Gladiators and North Central Typhoons excel on the first day

S.M. Jiffrey Abdeen, Kandy Sports Corr. at Nuwara Eliya

Northern Gladiators and North Central Typhoons were the only unbeaten teams at the end of the first days play of the first leg of the Carlton Rugby Sevens which commenced at the Race Course Grounds, Nuwara Eliya yesterday. The tournament will be resumed today at 10 a.m. and 17 more matches are scheduled to be played today and the Cup finals at 4.40 p.m.

Gracing the occasion was First Lady Madam Shiranthi Rajapaksa who witnessed the matches. Also present during the tournament were Mayor of Nuwara Eliya Mahinda Kumara, Ministers Naveen Dissanayake and C.B. Ratnayake and Parliamentarian Namal Rajapaksa.

A notable feature was that a number of under-23 players were included in the eight teams which participated in this tournament.

This was the first rugby tournament of this magnitude was worked off in Salubrious Hill Station of Nuwara Eliya and the large crowd enjoyed every moment of it with the weather keeping fine and chilly conditions were experienced in the afternoon.

Northern Gladiators led by Fazil Marija had in its ranks top players like Damian Ratwatte, Wishwamithra Jayasinghe Mohamed Jabbar, Tuan Shamrock, Shashika Jayawardena. They beat Western Warriors 26-17, beat Central Kings 21-14 beat Sabaragamuwa Stallions 28-5, but had a close call against North Western Blacks before overcoming them 14-10.

North Central Typhoons were led by Pradeep Liyanage and the players who stole the honours yesterday were Anuruddha Wilwara, Roshan Weeraratne, Ashan Karthelis, Gayan Ratnage. They beat Eastern Eagles 15-5 beat Jaffna Challengers 29-14, beat Southern Sharks 12-7. The highest score of the day was by Eastern Eagles who beat Uva Vipers 40-19.

The group placings is as follow - Pool ‘A’: North Central Typhooons, 2. Southern Sharks, 3. Eastern Eagles, 4. Jaffna Challengers, 5. Uva Vipers.

Pool ‘B’: 1. Northern Gladiators, 2. North Western Blacks, 3. Central Kings, 4. Sabaragamuwa Stallions, 5. Western Warriors.

Today’s proceedings will start at 10 a.m. North Central Typhoons playing Sabaragamuwa Stallion and the other unbeaten team in the teammate Northern Gladiators will be soon in action at 11 a.m. When they take on Jaffna Challengers.

Both Northern Gladiators and North Central Typhoons have totted up 16 points each.

The full results of matches played yesterday.

North Central Typhoons beat Eastern Eagles 15-5, Jaffna Challengers beat Uva Vipers 12-10, Central Kings beat North Western Blacks 15-14, Northern Gladiators beat Western Warriors 26-17, Southern Sharks beat Eastern Eagles 19-7, Central Typhoons beat Jaffna Challengers 28-14, North Western Blacks beat Sabaragamuwa Stallion 33-5. Northern Gladiators beat Central Kings 21-14, Southern Sharks beat Uva Vipers 17-12, Eastern Eagles beat Jaffna Challengers 23-5, Sabragamuwa Stallions beat North Western Blacks 14-10, North Central Typhoons beat Uva Kings 19-15, Southern Sharks beat Jaffna Challengers 21-12, Central Kings beat Western Warriors 19-17, Northern Gladiators beat Sabaragmauwa Stallions 28-5, Eastern Eagles beat Uva Vipers 40-19. North Western Blacks beat Western Warriors 26-0, Sabaragamuwa Stallion beat Central Kings 17-12.