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Lanka
to play in Safari Sevens Kenya who learnt rugby from their colonial masters who dominated the sport via the plantation fraternity, like in Sri Lanka. Today it's a popular sport and rugby has gained international recognition thanks to its infrastructure. The Kenyan RFU was formed in 1963. They have improved leaps and bounds with their 'Black Magic Power', unlike Sri Lanka where the game has failed to make much headway despite much song and dance. Osir started playing rugby at the age of 13, whilst studying at a primary school. A bundle of energy and his first love was rugby. A Development Officer from RFU, England came to Kenya in 1996 - Stuart Urqhart, who served the game well for six years and relinquished office in June 2001. The talented players are offered job opportunities. All the 7s national players work for ISP (Internet Service Provider). Oscar said it was a very good tour and the players really enjoyed playing before a big crowd and the organising committee did an excellent job looking into the needs of the participating teams. What attributes to your quick rise in the 7s rugby? There are five national tournaments in the Kenyan circuit. One of the them, the Safari Int. 7s, where a number of foreign teams enter the scrum. Besides the players get regular exposure i.e., the cornerstone to success. We would like to come back again for a full tour which in turn will help both countries to improve their skills and builds a permanent bridge for friendship. William Gitinji (the head coach). He was a former National player who said, for any sport to develop it must be started at grassroots level. There are 1000 schoolboys playing rugby. They are taught to play clean, hard and open running rugby. They are afforded with all facilities, including nutrition. Maize is the staple food. They are athletically fit and physically strong. The Kenyans have made a name in track and field sport. There are quite a number of middle distance 800m. runners-up to the Marathon. They are world class. Kipchoge Keino 1500m. Olympic champion. Today he is serving in the IOC.- BW Galle
RFC win 22-8 Both teams fought out a relentless battle with their forwards at times marred by unwarranted play, Galle RFC had the edge with their back division running the ball which resulted in three tries scored by prop David Luchow, wingers A.K. Vidura Ruwandika and Tharanga Dilshantha. Amita Ruwanmal converted two tries and put over a penalty. For Old Zahirians scrum half T.R. Cuncheer scored an unconverted try and hooker Hassan put over a penalty. Referee Rohan Nishantha: In the first game Air Force thrashed Kelani Valley 49 points (3 goals, 5 tries and a penalty) to nil. Referee M. Somaratne. Jeff Matheson, who has served Sri Lanka rugby well as a Consultant, here on a holiday was an avid fan. Today at the same venue: Peterson vs Army; Old Dharmaloka vs Old Nalandians. Kick off at 4 p.m. Ragama
CC clinch Under 23 trophy The best batsman's award was won by Sukitha Peiris of Ragama CC and the best bowler's prize went to Manjula Jayawardena of Police SC while Sanjeewa Arangala of Ragama CC was adjudged the man of the final. Ragama CC - 189 and 256 (Sukitha Peiris 72, Dushantha Ranatunge 27, Harsha Nilantha 18, Nalaka de Silva 49, Hadlee Jayawardena 35; Rashmi Jinnen 2 for 40, Manjula Jayawardena 5 for 98, R. Nirmal 2 for 49) Police SC - 158 and 130 (Manjula 31, E. Perera 30; Sanjeewa Arangala 2 for 52, Lahiru Senaratne 4 for 21, Hadlee Jayawardena 2 for 16) -MSA Anushka 102 KYCC - 178 (S. Priyanthaka 14, Pujitha Maduwantha 72, Damitha Gunatileke 27 n.o.; Mario Villawarayan 2 for 53, Ishan Ratnayake 3 for 18) CCC - 302 for 9 (Anushka Polonowita 102, Prasanna Jayawardena 23, Duncan Arnolda 53, Indika Gallage 64; Ajith Ekanayake 4 for 97, D. Chinthaka 2 for 39) -MSA Pin
Fernando final on Oct. 7 Sarath Wickremaratne (who has been a finalist in the competition five times) and Capt. Navin de Silva played their match last week before they went abroad while Ranil Pathirana and Joseph Kenny played on the last scheduled date September23. Ranil Pathirana whose handicap is 12 has been playing for seven years. He was a national badmionton player in the 80s. The final of the Pin Fernando trophy will take place on October7 where a keen contest is expected. Pakistan-Australia
Test Series starts off at Sara Stadium This will also be the first ever neutral grounds to be used from a test playing nation. Earlier a neutral test match was played in Sharjah between West Indies and Pakistan. Sharjah is not a test playing country. Bala Asirwatham, Treasurer of the Tamil Union C & AC speaking to The Sunday Times said that they are greatly honoured for having been bestowed with the conducting of this test match and further said that the Saravanamuthu Stadium has been completely refurbished with modern facilities that can be compared with the best stadiums in the world. They have laid eight outdoor practice wickets which consist of two astro and six turf pitches, a gym for players which the BCCSL has promised to give 1.5 million worth of equipments and many more other facilities. He was also sad that the stadium was given the stepmotherly treatment as the inaugural test played by Sri Lanka was played here and in July this year we got a test match after eight years which was the first test between Sri Lanka and Bangladesh where a record was established when Sri Lanka scored a massive 509 runs in one day eclipsing a long standing record held by England. Sri Lanka won that test match by an innings and 196 runs which is biggest winning margin in the 126 tests that we have played. The stadium was solely modernised through the efforts of the club members with a spacious room for the media with popular commentators mentioning it as the biggest one from all the cricket stadiums in Sri Lanka. We are most obliged to the prime ministers peace efforts being one of the main reasons for our getting the neutral venue. The neutral test match is being financed by the Pakistan Cricket Board as they are the host of the test series and Tamil Union C & AC has been given the responsibility of all the arrangements for the two teams which includes hotel accomadation, transport and practice facilities which the treasurer says that the club has appointed an organising committee and they are hard at work to make this a memorable and successful event. |
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