The Western Province men's and women's teams were crowned champions of the Governor’s Cup Rugby Sevens, beating Central Province back-to-back. The one of a kind inter-provincial tournament was organised by Sri Lanka Rugby (SLR) alongside the Western Province Rugby Football Union as hosts. This is the maiden tourney held by SLR after the lifting of the World Rugby (WR) suspension.
In the finals played at the age-old Colombo Race Course Grounds, the Western Province women annihilated Central Province 38-00, while the men got the better of their hill-country counterparts in a nail-biting 19-12 game.
Sujani Rathnayake and Randima Fernando coached the Western Province women’s and men’s teams. Cambrians’ Rugby Football Club Secretary Rushan Hameed and Piliyandala Central College teacher-in-charge of rugby Kamani Premathunga played the roles of managers of the men's and women's teams, respectively. The event gave good game time and exposure to up-and-coming youth players, especially with the compulsory inclusion of three under-21 players in a team.
Nine teams from both men’s and women’s categories battled it out for the title last weekend. This is for the first time in Sri Lanka rugby history that a tournament was held with teams from both men’s and women’s categories taking part from all nine provinces of the island nation, keeping in line with WR gender equality policies, and with a major participation of female referees as well.
Interestingly, all finalists in both categories were the same provincial teams.
Results
7-8 place playoff
Men’s – North Central Province 48-05 Uva
Bowl finals
Women’s – Southern Province 34-00 Northern Province
Men’s – Southern Province 19-19 Northern Province (won)
Plate finals
Women’s – Sabaragamuwa 29-10 North Western Province (Wayamba)
Men’s – North Western Province 19-12 Sabaragamuwa
Cup finals
Women’s – Western Province 38-00 Central Province
Men’s – Western Province 19-12 Central Province
Players of the tournament
Women’s – Subashini Saumya (Western Province)
Men’s – Manula Rathnayake (Western Province)