Over 40 teams for Mercantile Rugby Sevens

Ranjeeva Seneviratne

Over 40 teams will take part in the Mercantile Rugby Sevens which will be worked off from November 16 to 18, 2007 at CR and FC Grounds, Longden Place. The tournament will be sponsored by Dialog Television.

For the first time the tournament will be played over three days and the matches will be played under floodlights on the first day.

The President of the Mercantile Rugby Football Association Lalith Hewage said at a press briefing at Colombo Hilton that Mercantile Rugby Sevens was one of the most looked forward to tournaments in the rugby calendar and has been sponsored by Dialog GSM for the last five years.

But this year Dialog Television has come forward to sponsor the tournament for the first time. Some firms are recruiting schoolboy ruggerites mainly to take part in this tournament but only those who have been employed in their firms at least for two months will be eligible to represent their teams.

The Chief Executive Officer of Dialog Television Nushad Perera said that the Mercantile Sevens is the first sports event to be sponsored by Dialog Television. The firm will continue to sponsor this tournament in the future too as the cream of the country's ruggerites will be seen in action at this tournament which produces rugby of a very high standard.

Last year Seylan Bank clinched the Cup Championship for the first time by overcoming Ceylinco Group in the final. But this year they will face a fierce challenge from Hatton National Bank, MAS Holdings, John Keells and Sampath Bank.

The Most Outstanding Player of the tournament will receive the Mohan Daniel Memorial Trophy while the Pemraj Peiris Memorial Trophy will be awarded to the Best Player of the final.