Over 400 players in action at SLR Sevens

Fatih Bozkurt, General Manager Turkish Airlines posing for a picture after handing over the sponsorship. -Pictures by Nimalsiri Edirisinghe

Nemantha Abeysinghe, (third from left) General Manager Nippon Paints posing for a picture with Rizly Illyas, President SLRFU and officials after handing over the sponsorship package

By M. Shamil Amit

Two days of action packed rugby is in store when the Sri Lanka Rugby 7s, conducted by Sri Lanka Rugby, kicks off at the Racecourese Ground in Reid Avenue on Saturday.
26 teams divided into four segments will be in action with the tournament, initially played only among the club teams, being conducted after a lapse of two years with the Covid-19 pandemic resulting in successive postponements.

Nalin de Silva, Co-Chairman of the organizing committee, briefing the media at a press conference held at the Ramada Hotel stressed that in the 143 years of rugby in the island this would be a historic occasion, with the tournament opened out to Provincial teams this year.

“The response has been tremendous which has resulted with the participation of 26 teams but of course the absence of Kandy SC and CH&FC will be badly felt. It’s encouraging to see the response we got from the others which augurs well for the future of rugby sports in Sri Lanka,” he said.

He further stated that players from the teams that are not participating have the option to representing any other club.

However according to sources, Western Barbarians, one of the teams participating in the Segment 1 (Clubs) will comprise mostly of players from CH & FC.

Nippon Paint have come in as the title sponsor while Turkish Airlines will be the official airline partner, offering airline tickets to the most outstanding players in the men’s and women’s categories.

In all, over 400 players are expected to be in action over the two days of rugby fiesta. The Segment 1 men’s and women’s inter-club tournament will comprise the top division clubs and on invitation while the Segment 2 men’s and women’s provincial tournament will comprise provincial teams and on invitation.