Dilroy and Nizam to officiate at Rugby Sevens World Cup

By Jatila KARAWITA

RUGBY: Two of Sri Lanka's top rugby referees - Dilroy Fernando and Nizam Jamaldeen will make history when they officiate at the 2009 Rugby Sevens World Cup to be held in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, from March 5-7.

Dilroy Fernando, who is also the outgoing Executive Director of the Sri Lanka Rugby Football Union (SLRFU) and the International Rugby Board (IRB) Referee Trainer for Asia, told Sunday Observer that as no other Sri Lankan rugby referee has ever officiated in a Rugby World Cup tournament in either version of the game (sevens or fifteens), this was a big honour for Sri Lanka with the IRB selecting two referees to 'blow' in the forthcoming tournament.

Fernando, a former Sri Lanka, CR & FC and Isipatana MV centre has previously officiated in many other International Sevens and 15-a-Side Tournaments, but he considers the upcoming assignment in Dubai, as the pinnacle of his refereeing career. Nizam Jamaldeen, a former Sri Lanka and Police SC fly-half and an ace place-kicker, also considers his appointment to officiate in the 2009 Rugby Sevens World Cup as a 'great achievement for Sri Lanka rugby'. This is no doubt, a big boost to my own career as a referee and I am also pleased to be involved with another top-class referee like Dilroy Fernando", he said. Jamaldeen also a product of Isipatana MV noted that the appointment of him and Dilroy Fernando to officiate in such a prestigious global rugby tournament would pave the way for more local rugby referees to aspire for international acclaim. The 2009 Rugby Sevens World Cup will be the fifth edition of the series conducted by the IRB. Twenty four countries, including Arabian Gulf, (hosts), New Zealand, England, South Africa, Australia, France, Fiji, Scotland, Argentina, Uruguay, Portugal, Wales, Georgia, Italy, Ireland, Samoa, Tonga, Kenya, Zimbabwe, Tunisia, Japan, Hong Kong, USA and Canada will contest the Melrose Cup awarded to the overall winner of the tournament and named after the Scottish town of Melrose where the first rugby Sevens game was played. Fiji, the current title-holders, have clinched the Melrose Cup twice in 1997 and 2005 editions held in Hong Kong, while England 'lifted' the Trophy in its inaugural edition in 1993 in Scotland, and New Zealand emerged victorious in the 2001 tournament held in Argentina.

Sri Lanka led by Pradeep Liyanage failed to qualify for the 2009 Rugby Sevens World Cup during the Rugby Sevens World Cup Asian qualifiers held in Hong Kong last October.