Milo Inter Schools Under 18 Rugby :

S. Thomas’ ML likely to pull out :

SLSRFA makes another blunder

by Indika Welagedara

Due to a blunder of the Sri Lanka Schools Rugby Football Association

(SLSRFA) in making a wrong draw the Milo inter-school under 18, fifteen-a-side tournament which was schedule to be played at Ananda College grounds in Rajagiriya last Friday failed to materialize.

The reason for this was the SLSRFA placing last year’s winners and runners-up in the wrong groups. In last year’s finals it was Isipathana College who were victorious and S. Thomas’ College Mount Lavinia finished as runners-up, hence according to the proper method Pathana should have been placed on top of group ‘A’ and the Thomians on top of group ‘H’.

Instead SLSRFA had placed the Thomians on top of group ‘A’ and Pathana on top of group ‘H’ which is clearly a ridiculous mistake by the unprofessional SLSRFA officials.

Isipathana clearly opposed this silly blunder and a committee meeting took place on Friday August 19 among SLSRFA officials at Lumbini College, Colombo and subsequently the error was rectified with Pathna heading group ‘A’ and the Thomians group ’H’.

The Sunday Observer learns that due to this latest change S.Thomas’ College are considering pulling out of the tournament with immediate effect despite requesting SLSRFA not to change the draw from the original groupings.

This is the second blunder the SLSRFA have made within a month. Last month they made a mess of deciding the venue for the Schools knockout final dilly-dallying their choice of venues between the Royal Sports Complex and the Racecourse grounds.