No red cards for officials: Schoolboys high-tackled by lethargy

By Shamseer Jaleel

The lethargy at what is being called the Sri Lanka Schools Rugby Football Association (SSRFA) has hit schools below the belt or more likely high-tackled to the ground in the form of the Under-18 inter school Sevens to be played today and tomorrow at the Bogambara Stadium in Kandy.

Their ignorance on how to handle the country’s nursery reached such an alarming level that schools taking part in the Sevens were given just 48 hours notice stretching teams from Colombo and elsewhere to the maximum and beyond in search of accommodation in Kandy.

Already three leading schools have pulled out of the tournament with S. Thomas’ College, Trinity College and Royal College turning their backs on the event. Most of the players from Trinity and Royal are currently focused on the second leg of the Bradby match.

It is understood that several schools are also unhappy with the Bogambara venue that offers very little assurance for players from 23 schools that will be contesting the event. Failing to opt for the Nittawela Rugby Stadium is said to be another blunder made by the SSRFA. The Pallekele Rugby Stadium of Trinity is currently used for their Bradby preparations.

The teams:

Pool – A: Isipathana College, Ananda College, St. Aloysius’ College 

Pool – B: St Peter’s College, Mahanama College, Siri Priyarathna College Padukka

Pool – C: St Joseph’s College, Sumangala College Kandy

Pool – D: DS Senanayake College, Science College, St Benedict’s College 

Pool – E: Zahira College, St Anthony’s College, St Sylvester’s College 

Pool – F: Wesley College, Kingswood College, Sri Sumangala College Panadura 

Pool – G: Vidyartha College, Prince of Wales College, Maliyadeva College 

Pool – H: Dharmaraja College, Thurstan College, Lumbini College