Rugby: Mercantile Sevens this weekend

The 45th Mercantile Rugby Sevens 2015, conducted by the Mercantile Rugby Football Association (MRFA) will be held this weekend at CR and FC Grounds with the participation of 33 teams.   The first match will kick off at 1.30pm on Friday (10) and will go on till 8.00pm, under lights, consisting of 21 matches.   The bulk of the league matches will take place on Saturday (11), commencing at 9.00am and will go on till 8.00pm, under lights, consisting of 41 matches.   The elimination round matches from quarter finals onwards will take place on the final day Sunday (12) from 9.00am onwards.   The grand Cup final will be played at 6.30pm.   The final day's play will feature 20 matches including the four finals -- Cup, Plate, Bowl and Shield and an exhibition women's match between SL Army and SL Air Force.   A notable absentee is the 2012 Cup winner and 2014 Plate winner, Nation Lanka Finance.   There is a further drop of teams this year probably due to the tournament is being held during the Ramadan fasting season.   John Keells Group still holds the record of most number of Cup wins, but their last win was recorded 14 years ago in 1999.   MAS Holdings the Cup Winner in 2010, 2011 and 2014 is tipped strongly to retain the title, but it is believed that Access Group will take them to the extreme, perhaps wrest back the title which they won in 2000.   Cup Championship: Group ‘A’: MAS Holdings ‘A’, Access Group, MAS Holdings ‘B, John Keells ‘A’ and Dialog Axiata ‘A’.   Bowl Championship: Group ‘B’: John Keells ‘B’, Kandurata Umbrella ‘A’, HSBC, Sri Lanka Insurance and Citizens Development Bank Reds. Group ‘C’: Citizens Development Bank Blues, Commercial Credit, Dialog Axiata ‘B’, Sampath Bank and Nations Trust Bank.   Shield Championship: Group ‘D’: Janashakthi Insurance, NDB Bank ‘B’, Virtusa, Union Bank and Brandix Group. Group ‘E’: NDB Bank ‘A’, Gestetner, Attune Lanka, Millennium IT and Commercial Bank. Group ‘F’: Ceylon Tobacco Co., Merchant Bank Sri Lanka, Hirdaramani Group and Pan Asia Bank. Group ‘G’: Lughs Group, Expolanka Group, Kandurata Umbrella ‘B’ and Kanrich Finance.