Mercantile teams storm C Rugby carnival

Former Kandy SC and Sri Lanka captain fly-half Tarinda Ratwatte (left) with C Rugby Tournament Director Dilroy Fernando at the launch at the Cinnamon Grand Hotel (Pic: Pradeep Pathirana)

The annual C Rugby carnival now into its tenth year has been invaded by eight popular Mercantile teams for the showpiece event set to be worked off on July 17 and 18 at Longden Place in Colombo.

The eight teams that have found slots in the championship are Acorn Group, Commercial Bank, WNS, Hutch, Dialog Axiata, CDB Finance, London Stock Exchange and Cinnamon Hotels.

The school teams contesting are Trinity, Isipathana, St. Joseph’s, Wesley, Ananda, St. Sylvester’s, Royal and Thurstan while eight girls’ schools in Kandy and Colombo, Hillwood, Visakha, St. Paul’s, St. Bridget’s, Devi Balika, Methodist, Museaus and St. Anthony’s Girls will team up.  

The Cup winners according to Tournament Director Dilroy Fernando will be entitled to Rs. 400,000 in prize money while the runners-up will be rewarded with Rs.250,000.

The Plate and Bowl will be contested by teams that fail to qualify to the Cup segment.

The tournament and draw was held on Tuesday at the Cinnamon Grand Hotel in Colombo and all teams in the fray will be provided with ten jerseys each while the matches will be covered by the usual playing requirements including medical care with recognised referees officiating.

For Sri Lanka captain Tarinda Ratwatte was once of the distinguished guests at the lunch and draw.