By: Shamseer Jaleel

Kandy, Feb. 6 (Daily Mirror) - Defending League Champions and biggest crowd puller in local club rugby, Kandy Sports Club, has written to Sri Lanka Rugby (SLR) the governing body, requesting for Nittawela as their venue for Clifford Cup Knock-Out games.

They are awaiting for their reply in order to confirm their participation in the knock-out rugby tournament, which will kick-off shortly after the completion of the League encounters in two weeks.

Secretary of the Kandy SC, Sujeewa Liyanage had written to SLR through an email on 22 January 2024, addressing to the President of SLR, Nalin de Silva which is yet to be responded to.

Liyanage, speaking to Daily Mirror said: “Kandy is the only outstation club playing ‘A’ Division rugby and this Clifford Cup Tournament was kept in outstation some time back.”

“Even the quarter-final games of other clubs were played at Nittawela with very good gate collections for SLR. Kandy started by winning the Clifford Cup in 1992 when they beat Police SC at Nittawela under Maurice Joachim.”

“Since 1992 Kandy won both League and Clifford Cup majority in the last three decades when they participated. A tremendous achievement and that maybe the reason for one of the leading Colombo clubs not being willing to play at Nittawela.”

“Even when the Clifford Cup was first played in Kandy in 1992, some Colombo clubs objected and refused to play but then Sri Lanka Rugby Football Union (SLRFU) took a firm stand at that time and one can see how rugby has developed in Kandy.”

Speaking further, he said, “For Kandy it’s not a matter of winning, as they have shown their superiority over the past 30 years winning both the League and Clifford Cup in tandem but it’s a matter of promoting the game outside Colombo and giving their supporters including schoolboys an opportunity of witnessing more games in Kandy. This year only four matches were played in Kandy.”

“Chairman Tournament Committee of SLR, Admiral Udaya Hettiarachchi speaking to Daily Mirror said: “We had our Council Meeting last week on this Clifford Cup but did not arrive at a final decision of the venue for the matches. We will take a firm decision once the League is over.”

Another Senior SLR official said: “We want all teams to participate .This will help the national selectors to choose the players for the Asian Championship. Past years, there was no exposure for players. The top four teams in the League are almost on the same level.”

“This is good for Sri Lanka Rugby. Every week, the teams are improving in their performances and the teams with experience win in the end.”

According to reliable source SLR had already booked the Royal Sports Complex for the Clifford Cup knock-out games.