Sri Lanka will host the Singer ARFU Junior Asian Rugby Championships 2014 from 21st September to 27th September at Race Course International Rugby Stadium. The official media briefing was held at Olympic House on Thursday evening to launch the tournament.
The IRB sanctioned tournament which will be monitored by the Asian Rugby Football Union (ARFU) will be sponsored by Singer Sri Lanka PLC. The Director – Marketing and Commercial, Singer Sri Lanka, Mr. Mahesh Wijewardene addressed the media personnel to explain their partnership with Sri Lanka schools rugby, “We are delighted and proud to be the tournament sponsor as well as the junior national team sponsor. We expect this tournament to create lot of interest for all rugby playing schools and to their ruggerites to come and support their colleagues who will be taking part in an international tournament at home. Sri Lanka schools rugby has come up considerably in the last decade in standards with other countries.”
Four teams namely Hong Kong, South Korea and Chinese Taipei will take part during this Asian JWRT qualifying competition and the winner of this tournament will compete in the Junior World Rugby Trophy in Portugal next year which is an eight team qualifier for the Junior World Cup which will be held in Italy next year as well.
Sri Lanka Rugby Football Union president Mr. Asanga Senevirathne shared his views as the biggest rugby fan of our country on the Junior Tuskers, “Sri Lanka qualified to play with the top teams after winning the division two tournament in Korea last year. I believe we have a good chance in securing a world cup berth. Our ambition together with the Sri Lanka Schools Rugby Football Association and Singer Sri Lanka is to bring glory to our country and ensure our team in the next junior rugby world cup. We have many plans and the rugby union is keen on developing junior rugby in Sri Lanka to a level of world standard. If we are to gain world status in the senior category, the juniors must also be given the best training to achieve success.”
All the other participating teams are expected to arrive at the island on 19th evening and they have been allocated for practice sessions at Air Force grounds in Rathmalana while the captain’s run has been scheduled at the hosting ground, Race Course.
Finally, Singer Sri Lanka presented the tournament sponsorship to the SLRFU while the junior national team sponsorship was given to the SLSRFA.
