Kuliyapitiya Central and Gintota MV claim double titles
Kuliyapitiya Central College and Gintota Maha Vidyalaya Galle claimed two titles each at the Milo Inter- School 7- a- side Girls’ Rugby Tournament 2017 worked off last weekend at the Ruwanwella Public ground. Kuliyapitiya Central girls impressed by clinching the Under20 and Under- 16 age categories while the lasses from Gintota MV won the Under-18 and Under-14 age groups.
Kuliyapitiya Central College appeared in two age segments and signed off in style by claiming the main titles of both tournaments. In the Under- 20 tournament the Kuliyapitiya girls were one of the favourites as they managed to remain unbeaten throughout the competition. In the final they beat Bandaranayake Girls' School Ampara 19-0 with a tally of three tries and two conversions. The Plate title went to St. Mary’s College Avissawella, who beat Wayamba Royal Kurunegala 12- 5 with two tries and a conversion against an unconverted try. Dehiowita National School bagged the Bowl championship, after beating St. Mary’s College Yatiyantota 10-0. The winners scored from two unconverted tries.
In the Under- 16 tournament, Kuliyapitiya Central College became the best side among a total of 21 teams. They enjoyed a good run towards the final with some resounding wins in the group stage as well as the quarter-final and the semi-final before finishing off with an unbeaten record. In the final Kupiyapitiya Central brushed off another high- riding side, Pallekanugala Kanishta Vidyalaya, Amithirigala 7-0, after scoring off a solitary converted try.
On the way to the final Kuliyapitiya Central beat Weera Keppetipola MV Kandy (17-0) in the Cup semi-final, thrashed Mahinda College Kurunegala ( 40- 0) in the Cup quarter-final and recorded two moral boosting wins in the group stage against Eheliyagoda Central ( 25- 0) and Mahanama College Panadura (20-0).
The Plate Championship of the tournament had to be decided by a toss of a coin after the final ended scoreless. Eventually Dehiowita National School had the luck over D.B. Welagedara Maha Vidyalaya, Kurunegala. Anuruddha Balika Vidyalaya, Dematagoda scored three unconverted tries to beat Asoka College, Kurunegala to annex the Bowl Championship 15- 0. Devapathiraja Maha Vidyalaya, Rathgama overcame Bandaranayake Girls' School, Ampara 10-0 to clinch the Shield Championship, after scoring two unconverted tries.
Gintota Maha Vidyalaya, Galle featured teams under three age categories, out of which they ran out of luck in the Under-16 tournament. The girls from the south, however, were vigorous and successful in the Under-18 and Under-14 age groups, where they won by the Cup Championships. In the Under- 18, they claimed the Cup title, beating Pallekanugala Kanishta Vidyalaya, Amithirigala 10- 5, after a close affair and finished off as the best among eight sides that competed. The winners scored off two unconverted tries while the losers scored a solitary unconverted try. The Plate Championship of the age category went to S. W. R. D. Bandaranayake Girls' School, Panduwasnuwara, who outsmarted Devapthiraja Maha Vidyalaya, Rathgama 24- 0 with a tally of four tries and two conversions.
Dehiowita National School defeated Nugawela Central College 17-5 t o claim t he Bow l Championship. after scoring three tries and a conversion against a solitary unconverted try. With a tally of three tries and a conversion, Weera Keppetipola Maha Vidyalaya beat St. Mary’s Tamil College, Yatiyantota 17-0 to clinch the Shield Championship.
In a tournament where 10 teams were on the hunt for the main plum, Gintota MV, Galle emerged as the best side, as they narrowly defeated Pallekanugala MV, Amithirigala 7-0 to claim the Cup title. In a tough Cup final the winners were able to squeeze in to score the solitary try, which was converted as they finished off with an unbeaten record. Bandaranayake Girls' School, Ampara overcame tough resistance by Kaluthenna Maha Vidyalaya and managed to score the only try of the game, which gave them the Plate Championship by a narrow 5- 0. In an all- Ududumbara Maha Vidyalaya final, their ‘A’ side overcame the ‘ B’ team 5- 0 to emerge Bowl champions. Devapathiraja became second time unlucky after managing to hold D.B. Welagedara MV, Kurunegala 0- 0 in the Shield Championship final, as they ended up on the losing side. D. B. Welagedara MV, Kurunegala, who suffered a similar fate in the Under16 Plate final, was lucky this time around, when the toss of the coin turned in their favour.
The two-day tournament, which featured 45 teams was organised and conducted by the Sri Lanka Schools Rugby Football Association (SLSRFA) at the Public ground in Ruwanwella on October 26 and 27. The tournament was an overwhelming success according to SLSRFA officials, who stated that the tournament had more interest and participation from the fairer sex than last year. The tournament was sponsored by Nestle Lanka’s Milo.