Lumbini College, Colombo 5 and Prince of Wales’ College, Moratuwa are the two new entrants to the 18-team Dialog Under 19 Inter-School Rugby League Tournament 2026, as the Sri Lanka Schools Rugby Football Association (SLSRFA) officially released the Division 1 Segment ‘A’ groupings on Thursday (27).
Lumbini and Cambrians, who finished No. 1 and No. 2, respectively, in the final standings of Segment ‘B’ in the 2025 season, will replace the two Kandy schools Dharmaraja College and Vidyartha College, respectively.
Both Rajans and Vidyartha have been relegated to Division 1 Segment ‘B’ following their below-par performances in this year’s concluded season.
Lumbini College has been included in Group 1A, which also features defending champions Trinity College, Kandy; Isipathana College, Colombo; D.S. Senanayake College, Colombo; Sri Sumangala College, Kandy; and St. Anthony’s College, Katugastota.
Prince of Wales’ College have been squeezed into Group 2A, which is made up of the 2025 Schools League Runners-Up Wesley College, St. Peter’s College, St. Joseph’s College, Ananda College, and Mahanama College.
Group 3A includes Royal College; S. Thomas’ College; Kingswood College, Kandy; Zahira College; Thurstan College; and Science College.
When contacted, SLSRFA Secretary Manuja Nimmana said that the game’s governing body intended to kick off the new season with the Dialog President’s Trophy Knockout in mid-March next year and conclude it during the first week of April.
Isipathana College, Colombo will go into the 2026 Knockout tournament as title-holders, following their narrow win over Trinity College, Kandy during this year’s edition.
The Secretary stated that the Inter-School Rugby League Tournament would commence during the third week of April, noting that it would last till the third week of June, with the tournament consisting of two rounds with a rest week thrown in during the last week of May.
Nimmana, who is also the Principal of Kiriporuwa Vidyalaya, Eheliyagoda, stated that the Dialog Under 19 Inter-School Rugby League Tournament 2026 would follow the same format with the top six teams (the top two from each group) advancing to contest the Cup segment after the conclusion of the first round.
The third- and fourth-placed teams from each group will then play in the Plate segment, followed by the fifth- and sixth-placed schools competing in the Bowl segment.
At the end of the second round, the teams finishing in 17th and 18th places will be demoted to Segment ‘B,’ with the winners and runners-up of Segment ‘B’ being promoted to Segment ‘A’ in 2027.
According to the SLSRFA Secretary, the format and schedule of the Under 19 Rugby League Tournament has been formulated to ensure that one school will play a total of nine league fixtures.
Nimmana added that, for the first time, they had lined up an Under 16 Rugby League Tournament as well for next year, which was set to run concurrently with the Under 19 Inter-School Rugby League Tournament but confined to only the first round.
The new year’s schools rugby calendar also features Sevens, Premier Rugby 10s, Elite Rugby 10s, Elite Rugby Sevens, Chairman’s Rugby 10s, and Premier/Chairman’s Rugby Sevens tournaments for both boys and girls in the categories of Under 19, 18, 16, and 14.
(JK)