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by S.M. Jiffrey Abdeen - Kandy Sports Correspondent

The International Championship of the Fourth Singer SriLankan Rugby Sevens organised by Kandy Sports Club and sponsored by title sponsors Singer Sri Lanka Limited and Sri Lankan Airlines and co-sponsored by Connaissance de Ceylan's Le Kandyan Hotel will get underway at the Bogambara Stadium, Kandy on Saturday September 14th at 10.20 a.m.

This will be one of the biggest ever rugby carnivals ever to be held in Sri Lanka with no less than 16 countries participating. The Chairman of the Organising Committee Iswan Omar said that the matches will be played dead on schedule and will be on lines with Hongkong Rugby Sevens. There will be no waste of time as the moment a try is scored, there will be ball pickers who will place the extra balls in the centre for the kick off.

Iswan Omar said that a total of 16 teams have been invited to participate and this year Japan due to heavy commitments at home will not be competing and they have been replaced with Portugal. Last year Netherlands had to keep away at the last minute due to problems of transport and the uncertain conditions which prevailed following the September 11 attack on the Twin Towers in America but are back in the fray this year. Last year Sri Lanka Barbarians were drafted into the competition at the last minute.

The Groupings is as follows:

Group A: Chinese Taipei, Czech Republic, Denmark, Singapore.

Group B: Portugal, Malaysia, Arabian Gulf, Hongkong,

Group C: Germany, China, Netherlands, Kenya.

Group D: Korea, India, Sri Lanka, Belgium.

Iswan Omar said that the Organising Committee has done a splendid job and the spectators could be assured of pulsating rugby with the schools tournament thrown into the fray to 'pep' local interest. All international teams will be accommodated at Le Kandyan Hotel which is located in a beautiful setting lying over a 1,000 feet from the City of Kandy and where the climate is cool and the air bracing and gives a taste of the Kandyan food and customs. The teams have been flown by the SriLankan Airlines from the point of their operation.

Malik Samarawickrama - Chairman of the United National Party and Trustee of the Kandy Sports Club one of the promoters of the International Sevens said that the cost of the tournament is around Rs. 18 million and this he has been raised through the generosity of the sponsors Singer Sri Lanka Limited and the SriLankan Airlines who have both come out in a big way as in the past. The Co-sponsors Connaissance De Ceylon too have helped us in a big way by providing accommodation for all the International Teams. This type of assistance has made the task of the organisers easy.

Malik Samarawickrama said that entrance to the grounds is free and there will be no gate charges. There will be also Corporate boxes and entrance to which will be through invitations. A large number of Corporate boxes have been sold and this has further helped with funds. No gate will be charged to popularise rugby and also give an opportunity for the rugby fans to watch international matches and top quality rugby which will be one's life time dream.

The Bogambara Stadium is lush and green these days and is being kept watered regularly and also there has been intermittent showers in the hill capital.

Chinese Taipei are the defending champions with Korea as runner up. Sri Lanka who made it to the semi finals last year and also in 2000 are in Group D alongside Korea, India, and Belgium. Chinese Taipei are one of the top contenders for the title and others who will vie for honours are Denmark, Korea, Kenya, Germany, Hongkong while China will go as the dark horses of the tournament.

In the inaugural year in 1999 Korea beat China 38-7 to lift the Championship title. Malaysia and India winning the Plate and Bowl Championships respectively.

In 2000 Chinese Taipei wrested the championship title by defeating Korea in the finals 38-21. The Plate Championship went to Japan who beat China 42-0. The Bowl Championship was won by Thailand who beat Sri Lanka Barbarians 35-26.

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