'Milo' President's trophy Rugby :

 Royal's pull out gives Thurstan opportunity to compete this year
 

by Chris Dhambarage

A total of sixteen top teams have been selected to participate in the Milo President's trophy and Premier trophy knock out inter schools rugby tournament which kicks off on Friday.

The tournament is conducted and organised by the Sri Lanka Schools Rugby Football Association and sponsored by Nestle Lanka Limited for the 13th successive year.

The seven top teams in the 'A' division league tournament and the 'B' division champion team have been invited to compete in the President's trophy tournament which begins on Sunday at the Sugathadasa Stadium.

However as Royal College have decided to keep away from the tournament and the runners up in the 'B' division tournament Thurstan College have got the opportunity to participate in this prestigious event.

The teams which have qualified from group 'A' are Kingswood College Kandy, S. Thomas' College, Mount Lavinia, St. Peter's College, Wesley College, Ananda College and St. Joseph's College. They will be joined by the 'B' division champions St. Anthony's College Katugastota and the runners up Thurstan College.

Wesley College will meet Ananda College in the curtain raiser of the tournament on Sunday at the Sugathadasa Stadium at 4.30 p.m followed by the clash between the reigning 'A' division league champions Kingswood College and Thurstan College at 5.30 p.m.

The remaining two quarterfinals will be worked off on Monday with St. Peter's College meeting their traditional rivals St. Joseph's College at 4.30 p.m and S. Thomas' College taking on St. Anthony's College at 5.30 p.m at the Sugathadasa Stadium.

The semifinals of the President's trophy knock out tournament will be played on September 30 and October 1 at Longden Place with the final scheduled for October 8 at the Sugathadasa Stadium or at the Nittawela Stadium in Kandy.

Meanwhile the Premier trophy knock out tournament will commence on Friday with Nalanda College playing against Dharmaraja College Kandy in the opening match at Longden Place. The rest of the teams competing in this tournament are Isipatana College, St. Sylvester's College, Zahira College, Carey College and Lumbini MV.

However the 'C' division league champions Trinity College and the runners up Vidyartha College both have pulled out from the tournament. D. S. Senanayake College emerged champions from the 'D' division league tournament and they will be promoted to the 'C' division next year along with Richmond College Galle who were the runners up.