Twelve countries battle it out at Carlton Sri Lanka Rugby Sevens

Ranjeeva Seneviratne

Asian heavyweights Japan and South Korea along with Kazakhstan Chinese Taipei, China, Thailand, Malaysia, Sri Lanka, Iran, Pakistan, Jordan and Brunai will vie for honours in the prestigious Carlton Sri Lanka Rugby Sevens which will be worked off at Sugathadasa Stadium on November 28 and 29, 2009.

Asia's third ranked team Hong Kong have indicated their inability to take part in the tournament as they will be taking part in the East Asian Rugby Tournament while Arabian Gulf too will skip the tournament as they will be preparing for the Dubai Rugby Sevens while Singapore too will not be taking part in the tournament.

The International Rugby Board which has given its blessings for the tournament will send their representative.

Leading referees from Japan, Hong Kong, Arabian Gulf and Singapore will officiate in the tournament along with Sri Lanka's Dilroy Fernando, Aruna Rankothge and D. Nimal.

This will be the biggest ever International Rugby Tournament in Sri Lanka in recent years as even the Singar Rugby Asiad held in November, 2007 was minus the two top Asian rugby playing countries Japan and South Korea.

Ten leading schools Royal, St. Peter's, Isipatana, Nalanda, St. Anthony's, Vidyartha, Prince of Wales, Carey, Maliyadeva, St. Anne's Kurunegala along with two other teams which will be picked by the Interim Committee of the SLRFU will take part in the schools tournament which will be worked off at the same venue on November 28 and 29.