|
|
 |
 |
| Sunday, 22 June 2003 |
 |
|
 |
Sports |  |
| News Business Features Editorial
|
Carnival atmosphere at 5th Singer-SriLankan Airlines Rugby sevens in September by LAL GUNESEKERA Cook Islands, France, Spain, Morocco, New Zealand Centurions and Australian Potoroos from Brisbane have confirmed their participation and are the new entrants for the 5th Singer-SriLankan Airlines International Rugby 7's of the Kandy Sports Club to be staged at the Bogambara Stadium on September 5, 6 and 7. This is being sponsored by Singer (Sri Lanka) Limited and SriLankan Airlines with Connaissance de Ceylan as co-sponsors. The Chairman of the Organising Committee, Iswan Omar, told the Sunday Observer that 22 teams had confirmed participation, but the organisers have decided on the final 16 teams who will be divided into four groups. The organisers had met the sponsors including Peter Hill of SriLankan Airlines and Asitha Abeysekera of Singer recently who have stated that they are very happy of the progress made so far. The 16 countries this year will be Arabian Gulf, Chinese Taipei, France Germany, Hong Kong, Kenya, Malaysia, Morocco, New Zealand Centurions, Portugal, Singapore, Spain, South Korea, Cook Islands, Australian Potoroos and Sri Lanka. Five countries are on the stand-bye list. They are India, Pakistan, Denmark, Netherlands and Belgium. Omar further disclosed that a host of top journalists, will be covering this event including Mr. and Mrs. Watkins from South Africa who are attached to the IRB TV crew, Wayne Gray from World Rugby, Chris Thau IRB TV reporter also World Rugby, Keith Quinn from New Zealand who is a TV commentator. Also arriving will be several Executive members from the IRB and ARFU too. There will also be five referees from overseas. They are Bill Mayson, Paul Haley and Richard Mallett from Hong Kong, Bernad Gabbei from Germany and Taizo Hirabayassi from Japan. Morocco, Kenya and Portugal are also keen on sending their top referees to Sri Lanka to gain experience at "their own expense." A carnival too, is being organised to be held outside the Bogambara Stadium by the sponsors on September 4, 5, 6 and 7, while social events too are been planned by the organisers. Schools 7's Seven schools from Colombo, five from Kandy and Development Squads from four Provincial Unions will compete for Honours at the Schools 7's to be worked off concurrently. They are Royal, S. Thomas, Isipatana, St. Peter's, Ananda, Thurstan and Wesley from Colombo, Trinity, St. Anthony's, Dharmaraja, St. Sylvester's and Kingswood from Kandy and Development squads from Ruhunu, Kurunegala, Sabaragamuwa and Matale. Last year (2002), Portugal won the Cup category in the International 7's beating Kenya 24-21, South Korea the Plate beating Malaysia 27-26, while Hong Kong won the Bowl beating India 50-0. Sri Lanka entered the Cup category beating India 36-19, Belgium 33-10 and S. Korea 17-14 and in the Cup beat Arabian Gulf 24-5 in the "quarters", but lost 0-33 to Kenya in the semi-final. |
|
News | Business | Features
| Editorial | Security Produced by Lake House |
