Serendib International Cup 2013, Tri-Nation a fillip to Lankan rugby
Dilroy Fernando, who stepped down with respect as a top rugby referee recently, stated that the upcoming Serendib International Cup 2013, a Tri-Nation Series involving Poland and Madagascar along with hosts Sri Lanka, will give the locals with much needed exposure on their way to claim the top position in the Asian region.
“This will be a very good exposure for the Sri Lankan players. We are also flying in international referees. I’m sure Sri Lanka will enjoy, this historic event, being the first in Sri Lanka and in the region. This will be very good platform for our players. We need to give the players the due exposure, so that Sri Lanka will prosper as a nation when it comes to our core competition which is the Asian5Nations,” Fernando, who is in-charge as the Tournament Director of the Serendib Cup told the Sunday Times.
The Serendib International Cup, inaugurated by Sri Lanka Rugby Football Union (SLRFU) with the intention exploring its rugby potentials beyond the Asian region, will begin next Saturday with the match between IRB 39th ranked Sri Lanka and Madagascar, who is ranked at 44th.
The second match will be played on October 29 between Madagascar and Poland who are ranked 28th in the world while the final match of the series will be played between hosts Sri Lanka and Poland on November 1. All matches are scheduled to be played from 5.30pm under lights at the New National Rugby Stadium at the Race Course in Torrington.
“This will be a definite turning point in Sri Lanka rugby. We need to do what exactly Japan and Hong Kong do by playing against other nations, above our level, so we can attain that status internationally. Or else we will stagnate at the same level. We should not stop here; we need to go beyond this point, that’s the way forward,” Fernando asserted.
The one-of-a-kind international rugby tournament to be held in Sri Lanka was termed as the next potential world rugby competition for the low seeded rugby playing nations by the president of SLRFU, Asanga Seneviratne, at a press conference held to announce the sponsors last Thursday.
“This tournament is sanctioned by the International Rugby Board (IRB), and it comes as a blessing for us. There is a solid plan in place to take this tournament to a level, which will host 12 to 18 teams from all over the world, making it the second tier World Cup of rugby. We are keen to get there, while simultaneously lifting the standard of our national team,” Seneviratne stated.
Dialog Axiata will step in as the platinum sponsor for the Serendib International Cup with Atom and Hotel Galadari coming in as other sponsors. -
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