Expect a serve of explosive Sevens Rugby
Top contenders Access and Dialog battled out in a virtual final yesterday - Pic by Amila Gamage
Dialog ‘A’ and the Access Group, both basically featuring a Sri Lanka National Sevens team are hot contenders to grab the Cup Championship title, in the 46th Annual Mercantile Rugby Sevens kicked off on Friday at the CR and FC grounds. Today will be the final-day of the tournament, where the explosive short version of rugby could be witnessed. In spite of the defending champions MAS ‘A’, making an eleventh hour withdrawal, a total of 31 teams participated in this years tournament too.
The Dialog ‘A’ team , comprising a pick of players from Dinusha Chathuranga (Captain ), Mushin Faleel, Lee Keegal, Mohamed Absal, Rochana Hettiarachchi, Suhiru Anthony, Niroshan Fernando, Chamara Dabare, Mithun Hapugoda, Dulaj Perera, Anuradha Herath and Buddima Piyarathne have won their all matches so far.They beat Nation Lanka 17-7, Access Group 21-10 and John Keels ‘A’ 17-12. The Access Group team is coached by Nilfer Ibrahim.
The team included players in calibre of Srinath Sooriyabandara (Captain), Chula Susantha, Jason Dissanayake, Richard Darmapala, Vishvamithra Jayasinghe, Danushka Dayan, Saliya Handapangoda, Chanaka Chandimal, Kavindu Perera, Buwaneka Udangamuwa and former Peterite skipper Kevin Dixon. They defeated John Keels ‘A’ 14-0, Nation Lanka 38-5 but lost to Dialog ‘A’ 10-21. The Cup Championship (4 Teams ): Access beat John Keels ‘A’ 14-0, Dialog ‘A’ beat Nation Lanka 17-7, Dialog ‘A’ beat Access 21-10, Dialog ‘A’ beat John Keels ‘A’ 17-12, Access beat Nation Lanka 38-5.
The Bowl Championship (10 Teams): John Keels ‘B’ beat Kandurata ‘A’ 15-7, Kanrich Finance beat NTB 22-0, Dialog ‘B’ beat CDB ‘Blues’ 12-0, Sampath Bank beat Sri Lanka Insurance 17-0, CDB ‘Reds’ beat John Keels ‘B’ 19-12, Dialog ‘B’ drew HSBC 0-0, Kanrich Finance beat Kandurata ‘A’ 19-7, CDB ‘Reds’ beat NTB 12-7, Sri Lanka Insurance beat CDB ‘Blues’ 22-0, Sampath Bank beat HSBC 28-0, John Keels ‘B’ drew Kanrich Finance 5-5, Kandurata ‘A’ beat NTB 17-7, Dialog ‘B’ beat Sri Lanka Insurance 14-7, Sampath Bank beat CDB ‘Blues’ 24-5, John Keels ‘B’ beat NTB 22-0, Kandurata ‘A’ drew with CDB ‘Reds’ 19-19, Sampath Bank beat Dialog ‘B’ 33-0 and HSBC received a wo from CDB ‘Blues’.
The Shield Championship (17 teams): Pan Asia Bank beat Attune 24-0, Virtusa drew with Amana Bank 7-7, Brandix beat Expo Lanka 12-0, Commercial Credit beat NDB 27-0, Janashakthi beat Gestetner 17-5, Hirdaramani beat HDPL 35-0, Millenium IT beat Peoples Leasing 15-12, Kandurata ‘B’ beat Ceylon Tobacco 12-0, Attune beat Commercial Bank 10-0, Pan Asia Bank beat Virtusa 31-0, Commercial Bank beat Amana Bank 26-0, Brandix beat NDB 26-0, Expo Lanka beat Commercial Credit 17-0, Hirdaramani beat Gestetner 17-5, Janashakthi beat HDPL 35-0, Ceylon Tobacco beat Millenium IT 17-12, Kandurata ‘B’ beat Peoples Leasing 21-0, Attune beat Amana Bank 12-7, Pan Asia Bank beat Commercial Bank 7-0, Brandix beat Commercial Credit 17-5 and Expo Lanka beat NDB 17-5.