BUA
09-17-2007, 07:38 AM
The much looked forward to Milo inter-schools knockout rugby tournament conducted by the Sri Lanka Schools Rugby Association (SLSRA) and sponsored by Nestle Lanka Ltd is going to take place at last .
The Milo knockout tournament this time will be held in three categories: the President’s Trophy, Premier Trophy and for the first time a knockout tournament for the Division Three teams. The latter contest will be played for the Chairman’s Trophy. The tournament will kick off today with two encounters of the President’s Trophy where league champions St. Peter’s will lock horns with Prince of Wales at the Royal Sports Complex in Reid Avenue and St. Sylvester’s will clash with Vidyartha in Kandy.
The Milo knockout tournament which normally is held as soon as the schools league championships is concluded, got delayed as the championships dragged on for more than the stipulated period of time and also due to various problems created by certain schools. Even then most of the teams that participated in the Division One category did not complete their games, which put the SLSRA in a fix as they were unable to finalize the teams that would be taking part in the knockout contest.
The tournament this time out is of less significance as top teams have skipped citing various reasons. Some of the teams missing are Kingswood, St Anthony’s, St Thomas’ and Wesley who are out of the tournament for the first time in nine years. The non participation of Kingswood and St Anthony’s has pulled out the glamour of the tournament with league champions St Peter’s and Isipathana being expected to meet in the final.
President of the SLSRA Punyadasa Kuruppu admitted at a press briefing held recently that they were in dire straits due to the problems created by certain sections. Nevertheless we decided to conduct the knockout tournament sans the top teams as otherwise it will be of no purpose for the main sponsors who have supported this tournament for the last 13 years.
He also stated that the executive committee of the SLSRA unanimously decided to change the format of the league and knockout tournament next year. The league champions next season will comprise of nine teams in each division from the ten that was played this year. Also in the next season we intend to rectify all the problems that are been faced by the schools and conduct tournaments in the stipulated period.
Bandula Egodage, External Affairs Manager of Nestle Lanka Ltd said that they are planning to televise the final of the President’s Trophy and the channel has not been decided yet.
The remaining two quarter finals of the President’ Trophy will be played tomorrow at the Royal Sports Complex. The semi finals are slotted to be played on September 25. The quarter finals of the Premier Trophy are scheduled to be played on September 19 and 20 while the semi finals will be played on September 24.
The four quarter final matches of the Chairman’s Trophy are scheduled to be played tomorrow (Sept 18). Two matches are down to be played at the Royal Sports Complex with one in Kandy and the other at Matara. The semi finals are scheduled to be played on September 23 at Embilipitiya. .The three finals are scheduled to be played on September 29 at the Royal Sports Complex in Reid Avenue.
The participating teams:
President’s Trophy - St Peter’s, Prince of Wales, St Sylvester’s, Vidyartha, Thurstan, Mahanama, St Joseph’s and Isipathana.
Premier Trophy - Science, Carey, DSS, Nalanda, Lumbini MV, Piliyandala Central, CWW Kannangara MMV and Zahira.
Chairman’s Trophy – St. John’s, Dharmapala, Bandaranayake MMV, Siri Piyaratna MMV, Nugawela MMV, St. Thomas Matale, Embilipitiya MMV and St. Thomas Matara.
The Milo knockout tournament this time will be held in three categories: the President’s Trophy, Premier Trophy and for the first time a knockout tournament for the Division Three teams. The latter contest will be played for the Chairman’s Trophy. The tournament will kick off today with two encounters of the President’s Trophy where league champions St. Peter’s will lock horns with Prince of Wales at the Royal Sports Complex in Reid Avenue and St. Sylvester’s will clash with Vidyartha in Kandy.
The Milo knockout tournament which normally is held as soon as the schools league championships is concluded, got delayed as the championships dragged on for more than the stipulated period of time and also due to various problems created by certain schools. Even then most of the teams that participated in the Division One category did not complete their games, which put the SLSRA in a fix as they were unable to finalize the teams that would be taking part in the knockout contest.
The tournament this time out is of less significance as top teams have skipped citing various reasons. Some of the teams missing are Kingswood, St Anthony’s, St Thomas’ and Wesley who are out of the tournament for the first time in nine years. The non participation of Kingswood and St Anthony’s has pulled out the glamour of the tournament with league champions St Peter’s and Isipathana being expected to meet in the final.
President of the SLSRA Punyadasa Kuruppu admitted at a press briefing held recently that they were in dire straits due to the problems created by certain sections. Nevertheless we decided to conduct the knockout tournament sans the top teams as otherwise it will be of no purpose for the main sponsors who have supported this tournament for the last 13 years.
He also stated that the executive committee of the SLSRA unanimously decided to change the format of the league and knockout tournament next year. The league champions next season will comprise of nine teams in each division from the ten that was played this year. Also in the next season we intend to rectify all the problems that are been faced by the schools and conduct tournaments in the stipulated period.
Bandula Egodage, External Affairs Manager of Nestle Lanka Ltd said that they are planning to televise the final of the President’s Trophy and the channel has not been decided yet.
The remaining two quarter finals of the President’ Trophy will be played tomorrow at the Royal Sports Complex. The semi finals are slotted to be played on September 25. The quarter finals of the Premier Trophy are scheduled to be played on September 19 and 20 while the semi finals will be played on September 24.
The four quarter final matches of the Chairman’s Trophy are scheduled to be played tomorrow (Sept 18). Two matches are down to be played at the Royal Sports Complex with one in Kandy and the other at Matara. The semi finals are scheduled to be played on September 23 at Embilipitiya. .The three finals are scheduled to be played on September 29 at the Royal Sports Complex in Reid Avenue.
The participating teams:
President’s Trophy - St Peter’s, Prince of Wales, St Sylvester’s, Vidyartha, Thurstan, Mahanama, St Joseph’s and Isipathana.
Premier Trophy - Science, Carey, DSS, Nalanda, Lumbini MV, Piliyandala Central, CWW Kannangara MMV and Zahira.
Chairman’s Trophy – St. John’s, Dharmapala, Bandaranayake MMV, Siri Piyaratna MMV, Nugawela MMV, St. Thomas Matale, Embilipitiya MMV and St. Thomas Matara.