Dudley Senanayake MV win maiden rugby plum
View(s):Dudley Senanayake Maha Vidyalaya Narahenpita won their first-ever major championship at rugby, winning the SLSRFA-Singer Inter-School Under-18 7s Rugby Tournament worked off at the Science College ground in Mt. Lavinia last weekend.
The champions, Dudley Senanayake MV Narahenpita (Seated from left): Ajith Fernando (Coach), Rev. U. Sumangala (Vice Principal), P. A. W. Samarasinghe (Principal), C.S. Weeratunga (Asst. Principal), Deepika Tuduwewaththa (Teacher-in-charge), M.S.N. Kavinda (Captain) (Standing from left): T. Hansika, Yasith Jeevantha, A. Frank Olive, P.P.G. Isuru Chamara, D.B. Madusanka, K. A. Visun Harshana Tharanga, T. Shakir Saldeen
The champion side beat Welagedara Maha Vidyalaya Kurunegala by 28-7 in the Cup final after scoring from four converted tries while conceding one. On their way to the final, Dudley Senanayake MV beat Eheliyagoda Central 5-0 in a closely contested semi-final battle after handing Richmond College a 15-0 defeat in the quarter-finals. In the pre-quarter-finals they beat the strong Sri Sumangala MV Kandy by 17-0.
In the only group match played Dudley Senanayake MV got the better of Dharmaloka Vidyalaya Kelaniya 22-0 to directly qualify for the Cup pre-quarter-final stage.
A total of 34 teams contested under 16 groups where the top team of each group progressed to the Cup segment beginning from the pre-quarter-finals.
The schools that contested in this All-Island 7s Rugby tournament were Sarasavi Uyana MV Peradeniya, Sri Sumangala College Panadura, Devapathiraja MV Rathgama, Eheliyagoda Central, Sripali MV Horana, Moratu Vidyalaya, Upananda MV Manvila, Mahinda College, Siri Piyarathana Central, Bandaranayke MV, Kalutara Vidyalaya, Wayamba Royal, St. Servatius College Matara, Kegalu Vidyalaya, President’s College Embilipitiya, President’s College Maharagama, Vidyaloka MV Galle, Veluwana MV Dematagoda, Zahira College Mawanella, Richmond College Galle, Sri Sumangala MV Kandy, Vidura College Nawala, Dharmaloka MV Kelaniya, Nugawela Central, St. Sebastian’s College Kandana, Asoka Vidyalaya Colombo, Revata MV Balapitiya, S. de S. Jayasinghe MV Dehiwela, Ananda Vidyalaya Kottawa, Sri Rahula MV Kandy, Bandarawela Central, Kekirawa MV and finalists Welagedara MV and Dudley Senanayake MV.
Moratu Vidyalaya beat Richmond College by 22-5 to win the Plate championship while Vidyaloka MV Galle beat Kegalu Vidyalaya 17-5 to win the Bowl championship. Sri Sumangala MV Panadura thrashed Zahira Mawanella 32-0 to claim the Shield championship.
The tournament, organised by the Sri Lanka Schools Rugby Football Association, was held on September 28 and 29 at the Science College ground in Mt. Lavinia.
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