Etisalat sponsors Army Team, continues to strengthen SL rugby

The leading mobile telecommunication innovator Etisalat Lanka, in an endeavour to supporting and strengthening Army Rugby, recently signed an agreement to become the principal sponsor of the Sri Lanka Army Rugby team for three years. This is Etisalat’s first time in sponsoring the Army Rugby team.

Etisalat Lanka Director/Chief Executive Officer Dumindra Ratnayaka commenting on the partnership said: “We are very keen on enhancing the game of rugby in Sri Lanka. It’s well known that Sri Lanka Army has been in the forefront in producing renowned sportsmen in the local and international arena. However, as a result of the LTTE terrorism, the opportunities our soldiers had to demonstrate their talents in sports in the past years were minimal. Now, with the dawn of peace, they are able to pay attention to sports such as rugby, and we are very proud to be sponsoring the Army Rugby team.”   The Sri Lanka Army Rugby team has participated in the ‘A’ division rugby tournament since 1962. The team has performed well over the years, winning the tournament on several occasions. With the opportunities that opened up following the conflict, Sri Lanka Army has been able to produce a strong rugby team within a short period.  

Acknowledging the Etisalat partnership, Army Commander Lt. Gen Jagath Jayasuriya said: “In the recent past, several of our soldiers have demonstrated exceptional talent in the game of rugby and represented the national rugby team on a number of occasions, bringing glory to our country. We thank Etisalat for sponsoring our team and supporting the talent of our soldiers.”

The Sri Lanka Army team is coached by Ben McDougall, a prominent Australian Coach who performs as an assistant coach and an athlete of the London Scottish team. The Army team is also strengthened by three Fijian Army rugby players. The team maintains a rugby pool of 60 athletes. With the aim of promoting rugby in the country, Etisalat is also sponsoring the Kandy Sports Club (KSC) since 2010 and has signed an agreement in April 2013 to sponsor the Wesley College rugby team for the on-going inter-school rugby season.