Aabid Carder moves to third slot 

Avishka Lee and his energetic unit, Wesley College are still in the fore as the Singer-the Sunday Times Most Popular Schoolboy Ruggerite of the Year and Most Popular Rugby Team of Year 2017 competitions reach the 11th week.

With just four more weeks to go, Lee takes his total to 3129 votes with the addition of 241 from the ended week. He seems to be cruising at present with a healthy lead of 2001, a healthy pace he had been maintaining throughout.

At second is Ananda College’s Sasindu Rathnaweera, who added 145 votes last week and made his total 1128, but the real winner of the concluded week is Aabid Cader of S. Thomas’ College, who got the best earnings of the week. His collection of 489 helps Aabid Cader to move two positions up to third and also take his total to 789. With four more weeks ahead, Aabid seems to be the marked player who could do a few dummy charges against the top two.

Isipathana College skipper Sumudu Rankothge has a tally of 606 but loses a place and falls into fourth, while Ovin Askey, the Royal College skipper, moved down to fifth. 

In the team competition, Lee’s side, Wesley continues to lead with 3126 votes while Ananda closely follows in at second with 1173. S. Thomas’ races to third place from fifth after their total hits 806. Isipathana and Royal Colombo fall a place each to fourth and fifth positions respectively.

The competitions, which enable readers to vote for their most preferred school rugby player of the ongoing Singer Schools Division I Rugby League Championship 2017, will run until 30 July.

From 23 April, the Sunday Times, along with Wijeya Newspapers publications – Daily Mirror, Daily Lankadeepa and Ada – will publish coupons for 15 continuous weeks, numbered for each week from one to 15 with the deadline set on Thursdays of each week. Names of players shown in the list are those with 30 and above votes.

Readers’ prizes go to: 1. Chamil Lekamge, ‘Sisila’ Galgira, Opanayake, 2. Terrence Perera (C/o Cinnamon Hotel Management Ltd, 148, Vauxhall Street, Colombo 2), 3. Renuka Padmini, (62, Pushparama Road, Pothupitiya, Wadduwa).

Most Popular Ruggerite:

Avishka Lee (Wesley College) 3129 

Sasindu Rathnaweera (Ananda College) 1128 

Aabid Cader (S. Thomas’ College) 789 

Sumudu Rankothge (Isipathana College) 606 

Ovin Askey (Royal College) 382 

Yuzraan Lantra (Zahira College) 207 

Praveen Ranasinghe (St. Aloysius College) 181 

Kasun Amarasinghe (Nalanda College) 172 

Shewon Gregory (St. Joseph’s College) 168 

Chamodh Fernando (Isipathana College) 158 

Rishmal Fernando (Royal College) 102 

Dilan Salinda (Veluwana College) 83 

Diyath Fernando (St. Peter’s College) 41 

Janindu Dilshan (Royal College) 33 

Sabith Feroze (Royal College) 30 

Most Popular Rugby Team:

Wesley College 3126 

Ananda College 1173 

S. Thomas’ College 806 

Isipathana College 792 

Royal College 577 

Zahira College 209 

St. Joseph’s College 189 

Nalanda College 172 

Veluwana College 83 

St. Peter’s College 41 

Trinity College 32 

Kingswood College 18