- Kandy to atone for League mishap
Newly-crowned Maliban Inter-Club League Cup champions CR and FC will look for a double when the country’s oldest domestic competition – the Clifford Cup Knockout rugby tournament kicks off with the quarter-finals this Friday (27).
The eight quarter finalists are CR and FC, defending champions Kandy SC, Havelocks SC, CH and FC, Plate champions Air Force SC, Police SC, Army SC and Navy SC, with Siri Lions missing out after losing the pre-quarter final to the sailors at Welisara on Sunday (22).
CR who edged Kandy 23-21 in a rain marred classic Cup segment grand finale at Longden Place on Saturday (21), are set to tackle Navy SC at Longden Place, while CH and FC are slated to host dark horse Air Force SC at Racecourse Grounds, with both fixtures to kick off on Friday.
Title-holders and League runners-up Kandy SC are scheduled to meet Army SC at Nittawela, while Havies are set to host Plate segment runners-up Police SC at Havelock Park, with both ties to be held on Saturday (28).
The winners of the CR-Navy clash and those from the CH and FC-Air Force match are set to face off in one of the semi finals, while the winners of the Kandy-Army and Havies-Police games are to contest the remaining semi final.
The venues for the two semis on Tuesday (3 March), will hinge on the winners of the respective quarter finals and based on the highest ranked team in the League according to the tournament format.
Similarly, the venue for the final on 7 March among the two finalists will also be based on the highest ranked team in the League points table.
Kandy SC – the most successful side in the history of the tournament with no less than 23 title wins, will seek to make amends for their League mishap last week by retaining the coveted Clifford Cup for a second consecutive year.
They beat their nemesis from Longden Place 41-33 at the final in Nittawela in 2025 under Srinath Sooriyabandara.
The high riding red shirts who will be looking for a rare 4-0 score line following a historic three-peat over KSC in the concluded League Championship, last lifted the prestigious title in 2023 beating Navy SC (24-18) in the final at Racecourse Grounds.
Meanwhile, of the rest of the contenders Havelocks SC who ended the League in third place will gun for a first Knockout title in seven years, while CH and FC will need to truly rewrite history if they are to savour success not having reached a podium finish since 1994.
Among the forces outfits Police SC are the most successful having won nine times, with Army winning twice and Air Force and Navy once each.
Clifford Cup 2026
Quarter finals
27 February (01) CR and FC vs. Navy SC at Longden Place
(02) CH and FC vs. Air Force SC at Racecourse Grounds
28 February (03) Kandy SC vs. Army SC at Nittawela
(04) Havelocks SC vs. Police SC at Havelock Park
Semi finals
3 March (01 vs. 02) Hosted by the highest ranked team in the League
(03 vs. 04) Hosted by the highest ranked team in the League
Final
7 March Hosted by the highest ranked team in the League