All set for kick off on 1 December with Kandy SC defending title

SL Rugby Executive Director Hassan Sinhawansa, SL Rugby Secretary SSP Nizam Jamaldeen, Nippon Paint Lanka GM Nemantha Abeysinghe, SL Rugby President Elect Group Capt. Nalin de silva, SL RugbyTournament Committee Chairman Rear Admiral U. Hettiarachchi and SL Rugby Tournament Director Shamrath Fernando

Nippon Paint Sri Lanka Rugby Major League Tournament 2023/2024 

By Shamseer Jaleel

The new rugby season for 2023/2024 will kick off on 1 December in the Nippon Paint Major Rugby League with a game between Havelock SC and Sri Lanka Air Force under lights at Havelock Park. Kandy Sports Club who are the defending champions will play their first game when they host CH and FC on 3 December at the Nittawela Rugby Stadium.

There will be a break for 7 days for Christmas holidays between 3rd and the 4th games of round 1. Further Women’s rugby will be in action before the commencement of the Men’s game as there will be 4 teams playing namely Army SC, Air Force SC, Navy SC and CR and FC. Soon after the completion of the League encounters, Clifford Cup knockout encounters will be worked off for the next 3 weeks ending the season in early March 2023.

Sri Lanka Rugby (SLR) President elect Rtd. Group Captain Nalin de Silva said: “We are very thankful to our stakeholders for allowing us to overcome the difficult period and to get into the playing field. He thanked Nippon Paint for continuing to prop up with SLR for yet another year plus at a difficult time.” 

SLR Secretary SSP Nizam Jamaldeen said: “Do not have confrontation with the referees; they will act as the law in the game of rugby. Please support the young referees to do a good job and grow as a person and become more matured and to do well in the Asian Region as referees.”

Nippon Paint Director/General Manager and former rugby player Nemantha Abeysinghe said: “Our main aim is to support SLR for the third year in tandem. We want to support the youth to be well balanced and useful for society in the end. We are thankful to SLR for giving us this opportunity in tandem for the 3rd year.”

The top 4 teams will play in the Cup after the competition of round 1 while the bottom 4 teams will participate in the Plate championship. Women’s rugby will be 30 minutes of each half with a 5 minutes break and all Men’s games will kick off at 3.45 p.m. giving the rainy season which will be changed if required later on in the season.

There will be 8 top referees officiating during this season supported by some up and coming youngsters as the Assistant referees and sub officials for the game.

Guna to blow his last game 

Former Vidyartha and current Trinity Under-16 Head Coach Priyantha Gunaratne, who is in refereeing for the last three decades, will be officiating in his last game when he takes the field on 3 December the game between Kandy SC and CH and FC.