Bandaranayake GS Ampara take Under-20 Cup Championship
Bandaranayake Girls’ School Ampara captured the Under-20 Cup championship while Kuliyapitiya Central College secured the Under18 Cup title at the Milo All-Island Schools Girl s ’ Rugby 7s Tournament played at the St. Aloysius College ground in Galle last weekend.
Bandaranayaka GS won the Cup championship in the Under-20 competition after beating Nugawela Central College 7-0 in the final. The final was anxiously battled by both sides as Bandaranayaka GS scored off a solitary converted try to secure the much looked forward to win.
In the Cup semi-final Bandaranayake GS defeated Wayamba Royal by 5- 0 while Nugawela Central overcame St. Mary’s College 10- 0 to qualify for the final.
In the Cup quarter-finals, eventual winners, Bandaranayake GS and Nugawela Central received a walkovers to the next stage, while Wayamba Royal beat Hali Ela Maha Vidyalaya 10- 0 and St. Mary’s earned a passage by a toss after the game against Dehiovita National School ended in a nil-all draw.
Wayamba Royal went on to win the Plate title of this age group competition, beating St. Mary’s College in the final by 10- 0, after scoring from two unconverted tries. Dehiovita NS and Hali Ela MV virtually entered the Bowl finals after they were automatically drafted without semi-final matches. Eventually Dehiovita NS went on to beat Hali Ela MV 5- 0 to win the Bowl title.
A total of nine schools competed in the Under-20 category but in the eleventh hour Kuliyapitiya Central and Orubendiwewa NS had to withdraw from the competition. The schools that eventually took the field are Bandaranayaka GS, Nugawela Central, D.S. Senanayake MV Ampara, Hali Ela MV, Dehiovita NS, Wayamba Royal and St. Mary’s.
In the Under- 18 competition, where 12 schools competed, Kuliyap i t i ya Central beat Panduwasnuwara MV 15-0 to win the Cup title. The winners scored from three unconverted tries while beating Devapathiraja MV Rathgama 15- 0 in the semi- final. Panduwasnuwara MV beat Orubendiwewa NS 10-0 in the other Cup semi-final.
Devapathiraja MV Rathgama went on to secure the Plate championship, beating Orubendiwewa NS 15- 0 while Pallekanugala MV secured the Bowl title beating Dehiovita NS 10-5. Asoka Vidyalaya recorded a comfortable 15- 0 win against Bandaranayaka GS Ampara to secure the Shield championship.
A total of 12 teams contested in the Under- 18 age category, where they were drafted into four groups of three teams each. The teams that contested were Pallekanugala MV, Kuliyapitiya Central, Asoka Vidyalaya, Akuramboda MV, Devapathiraja MV Rathgama, Tanamalwila M V, Panduwasnuwara MV, D. S . Senanayake MV Ampara, Hali Ela NS, Dehiovita NS, Orubendiwewa NS and Bandaranayaka GS Ampara.
The tournament was organised and conducted by the Sri Lanka Schools Rugby Footbal Association in collaboration with Nestle Lanka’s Milo as main sponsors.