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| Sunday, 25 May 2003 |
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Carnival atmosphere will prevail at Singer-SriLankan Airlines rugby sevens by Lal Gunesekera Protoropf from Queensland, Australia who are known as the "Small Wallabies". Australia's 7's champions who are highly recognised, will be competing at the 5th Singer-SriLankan Airlines International Rugby 7's conducted by the Kandy Sports Club to be staged at the Bogambara Stadium on September 5,6 and 7. This is being sponsored once again by Singer (Sri Lanka) Limited and SriLankan Airlines with Connaissance De Ceylan as co-sponsors. Protoropf has come in for the Australian Barbarians, who have ruled themselves out due to the height of the Australian rugby season and also hosting of the Rugby World Cup. Protoropf take part in numerous 7's tournaments and comprises ex-Wallabies players and have confirmed their participation. The Chairman of the Organising Committee, Iswan Omar, told the Sunday Observer that apart from Protoropf from Queensland, the other new sides competing will be New Zealand Centurions, France, Spain and Morocco. However, France, have indicated that a top side will represent the country, as their national outfit are included in a play-off in the World Series. The 16 sides who will be divided into groups of four are - Arabian Gulf, Chinese Taipei, Kenya, Portugal, Germany, Hong Kong, South Korea, Spain, Denmark, Morocco, Netherlands, New Zealand Centurions, Malaysia, Singapore, France and Sri Lanka. Also arriving for the tournament will be four international referees, including Taize Hirbayashi from the Japan RFU Referees Society and Gabbai Berlin from Germany. The other two will be from Hong Kong and Singapore. A lot of supporters, too, are expected to fly in with some of the sides and SriLankan Airlines have already started a promotional campaign in their destinations. The All-Blacks captain of 1975, Andy Lester, has already confirmed that he will be arriving with about 25 supporters from New Zealand, while Germany, Morocco and Kenya have confirmed that some of their supporters too will be arriving in Sri Lanka, but have not indicated how many. A carnival atmosphere will prevail. Last year (2002), Portugal won the Cup category beating Kenya 24-21 with South Korea winning the Plate beating Malaysia 27-26 and Hong Kong the Bowl beating India 50-0. Sri Lanka entered the Cup category beating India 36-19, Belgium 33-10 and South Korea 17-14, but after beating Arabian Gulf 24-5 in the quarter-final, lost to Kenya 0-33 in the semi-final. The Schools 7's tournament too will be worked off concurrently. |
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