Rugby: Over 60 top players in action at this weekend's 46th Mercantile 7s

Around, 60 current Club players spread around 32 teams will feature in the 46th Mercantile Rugby 7s 2016, all set to take place this weekend at the CR and FC grounds in Colombo.

The event will be played from Friday (15) to Sunday (17).

The tournament is conducted by the Mercantile Rugby Football Association (MRFA), under its new President, Shanaka Fernando who hung up his boots in 2013, after participating in 30 Mercantile Sevens from 1982.

MAS Holdings studded with 12 club players will go out as the favourite to retain the Cup title for the third successive year.

Access Group, the MRFA Patrons side, also with 12 club players will go hammer and tongs in order to regain the title, won in 2000 and barely missed last year.

John Keells ‘A’, also with 12 club players, nine-time winners of the Cup (last winning in 1999) will go out as the most determined side, as they were in the wilderness for the past 16 years.

Dialog Axiata ‘A’ is the dark-horse riding with 12 club players will fight like Trojans to make their elusive dream come true of taking the Cup for the first time.

The fifth team in the Cup segment is Nation Lanka Finance, winner 2012 runners-up 2013 and Plate winner 2014 is making a comeback after staying out in 2015. 

They have not declared any club players but will certainly pose a threat to the other teams. 

The lone debutant in the tournament is Peoples Leasing and Finance Co., who will play in the Shield Championship.

The round robin stage will be conducted on Friday (15) and Saturday (16).

Initially play will commence on Friday at 2.00pm and will go on till 7.30pm.

The second days play on Saturday, where the bulk of the matches will be staged, from 8.30 am until 7.30 pm.

The tournament will gather momentum as it enters the Final Day – Sunday, with the elimination round, commencing at 9.00 am and culminating with the ‘Cup’ final at 6.30 pm.

The introduction of the Women’s Tag-rugby 7s will certainly add some spice to the tournament.

Groupings as per draw held last Friday (8) are as follows. 

‘Cup’ Championship (5 teams):

Group ‘A’: MAS Holdings (2015 winner), Access Group (2015 runners-up), Dialog Axiata ‘A’ (2015 ‘Plate’ winner), John Keells Group ‘A’ (2015 ‘Plate’ runners-up) and Nation Lanka Finance (making a comeback)

‘Bowl’ Championship (10 teams in two groups):

Group ‘B’: John Keells Group ‘B’ (2015 winner), Citizens Development Business ‘Red’, Nations Trust Bank, Kandurata Umbrella ‘A’ and Kanrich Finance (2015 ‘Shield’ winner)

Group ‘C’: Dialog Axiata ‘B’ (2015 runners up), Citizens Development Business ‘Blue’, Sri Lanka Insurance Corporation, Sampath Bank and HSBC.

‘Shield’ Championship (17 teams in four groups):

Group ‘D’: MAS Atune, PABC Bank, Virtusa, Amana Bank and Commercial Bank.

Group ‘E’: Brandix Essentials, Expo Lanka Group, Commercial Credit & Finance and NDB Bank.

Group ‘F’: Gestetner, Janashakthi Insurance, HDPL and Hirdaramani Industries.

Group ‘G’: Millenium IT, Peoples Leasing Co.(making their first appearance), Kandurata Umbrella ‘B’ (2015 runners-up) and Ceylon Tobacco Co.