14 Monday 3rd October, 2011 Rugby star Sanjeewa Jayasingha hangs up his boots Presents cash award of Rs. 100,000 to his Alma Mater

BY M. FAROOK LANTRA tion at Science College, was pre- recently. Kandy rugby star and for- sented with Rs.100,000 by Sanjeewa made a magnani- mer Sri Lanka captain Sanathana Dalugoda, CEO, mous gesture by presenting the Sanjeewa Jayasingha hung his Asian Finance Limited, at the amount presented to him to his boots after a 12 year rugby end of the Asian Finance Rugby Alma Mater, Science College Shantha Dalugoda (CEO Asian Fiannce Ltd), presents a cah award of Rs. 100,000 to Sanjeewa Jayasingha. Also in the picture career. The dashing wing three Sevens which was held at the Mt. Lavinia for the development are: Rizly Ilyas (President, WPRFU) and Dilroy Fernando, (Secretary, WPRFU). quarter, who received his educa- Science College grounds, of the Science College Grounds.

Carlton SC clinches Asian Ireland beats fierce Finance Sevens Trophy TEXT AND PIX BY M. FAROOK LANTRA Jayasinghe who is also an old boy of Italy 36-6, tops Pool C Carlton Sports Club came up with a Science College Mt. Lavinia who fine performance to beat Havelock announced his retirement at the end of Bambaras by 19 points (two goals, one the tournament. BY STUART CONDIE rival Wales in Wellington on Saturday. discipline, and O’Gara added another try) to 14 (two goals), in the final played This tournament was organised by DUNEDIN, New Zealand (AP) — “The games between us have been three points before the tries flowed. at Science College grounds, Mt. Lavinia the Western Province Rugby Football Ireland withstood a ferocious perform- incredibly close over the last 7 or 8 years,” O’Gara and Gordon D’Arcy made good on September 25. Union. ance by Italy’s forwards Sunday to captain O’Driscoll said. “Certainly in my ground following a lineout and Tommy More than 280 participants from 24 RESULTS: advance to the Rugby World Cup quarter- career it’s been to-ing and fro-ing and it’s Bowe raced through before slipping an teams representing clubs, development CUP – Carlton SC beat Havelock finals with a 36-6 win in the tournament’s not mattered where the games have been. inside pass to O’Driscoll, who touched squads, old boys’ associations and mer- Bambaras 19-14. last pool match. We’ve won in and they’ve won in down just to the left of the posts for his cantile firms locked horns at the PLATE - Jawatha Lions beat Old Brian O’Driscoll rounded off a flow- . 45th international try. Western Province Inter Club Open Kannangara 12-7. ing backline move seven minutes after “I would envisage another close “The first half was pretty nip and Invitation Rugby Sevens tournament, BOWL - Old Moratuwa SC beat Old halftime for a converted try that put game.” tuck, but it always is in Ireland-Italy which was sponsored by Asian Finance Wesleyites SC 17-12. Ireland 19-6 ahead and Keith Earls Italy coach Nick Mallett spoke before matches,” Kidney said. “It’s a case of tak- Ltd. The tournament was worked off on SHIELD – Old Mudalians beat Black touched down twice in the corner as the game of how his side had more to ing the breaks when they come your way September 24 and 25. Hawk 22-12, while the SAUCER was Italy’s hopes of a first quarterfinal evapo- offer than just forward power, but his and Tommy got a bit of an opening and Top players from leading clubs took won by Kothalawala Defence Academy rated. players showed little else as they chased we finished it well. That gave us a bit of part in the tournament. Among them ‘B’ who beat Moratuwa University ‘B’ Ronan O’Gara experienced none of the big win they needed and their passion daylight.” was dashing Kandy star player and for- 19-5. the kicking problems that afflicted play- spilled over at times into foul play. Earls then collected a pass from Jamie mer Sri Lanka captain Sanjeewa Referee: Charith Kodagoda. ers in the other three pool matches under Leonardo Ghiraldini was fortunate Heaslip to turn and go over in the left the roof of Dunedin’s Otago Stadium, referee Jonathan Kaplan missed an corner, O’Gara drilling the conversion succeeding with six of his seven place apparent eye gouge on prop from just inside the touchline to put kicks at goal and hitting the post with the and Mauro Bergamasco was involved in a Ireland three scores clear at 26-6 with other. handful of confrontations before swing a more than 25 minutes remaining. Otago Stadium was awash with green punch at Healy, forcing Kaplan to reverse Bowe looked to have scored a late as the overwhelming majority of the a penalty that would have given Italy a breakaway try after hacking the ball 28,027 fans inside celebrated Ireland shot at goal for 9-9 at halftime. downfield past the tiring Italian defense securing top spot in Pool C ahead of Tri- Instead, Ireland went into the interval but he got neither the score nor a penalty Nations champion Australia and a quar- 9-6 up, Kaplan took the captains aside in try despite having been hauled back terfinal against northern hemisphere the tunnel to order an improvement in while attempting to touch down.

The skipper of Carlton SC, M. Afzal receives the Asian Finance Sevens trophy along with a cash award of Rs.100,000 from Sanathana Dalugoda (CEO, Asian Finance Ltd.)

The skipper of Jawatha Lions, Ruwan Dhammika receives the Plate trophy from Nazim Mohomed (Dep. President, WPRFU).

Ireland’s Keith Earls dives across the line to score a try during their Rugby World Cup match against Italy at Otago Stadium in Dunedin, New Zealand, Sunday, Oct. 2, 2011. (AP Photo/Rob Griffith) Wales strolls into quarters with rout of Fiji BY FOSTER NIUMATA only a point to finish runner-up in Pool be ruthless from minute one to 80 and HAMILTON, New Zealand (AP) — D, and earned it with a bonus-point we put in a good performance through- Wales cruised into the World Cup quar- fourth try right before the interval. out.” ter-finals by halftime and completed an “It’s something we’ve worked very Their quarterfinal opponent next easy 66-0 win over a disappointing Fiji hard for the last four years and it’s a Saturday in Wellington will be Ireland, at Waikato Stadium on Sunday. great feeling we’ve got to the quarters which beat Italy 36-6 to secure top spot In showery conditions more suited now,” said outstanding Wales captain in Pool C. to the Red , the Welsh needed Sam Warburton. “We said we wanted to

The skipper of Old Moratuwa SC, C. Selva Moorthy receives the Bowl trophy from Roshan Deen BY JEROME PUGMIRE to Tonga. are spending too much time a team.” (Vice President, WPRFU). Lievremont’s fraught rela- with their agents and not Moments after the Tonga PALMERSTON NORTH, tions with the French press focusing properly on the defeat, Lievremont told a New Zealand (AP) — The hasn’t helped, yet he blames matches. news conference of how he cracks within the French the players for a lack of cohe- “We live in a society where hoped some old-fashioned camp are getting wider at the straight-talking over a few Rugby World Cup, with coach beers would help the players Marc Lievremont questioning get their frustrations out in the commitment, spirit and the open and move on. even the talent of players who France camp under To his disappointment, the walked out of a bonding ses- initiative failed. sion in the wake of a shocking “I would have liked for us loss to Tonga. to gather around a few drinks France has been widely increasing strain yesterday, to talk, to share criticized since the start of thoughts,” Lievremont said. the tournament, and the “At the end of the press con- groans of despair back home sion. image matters,” Lievremont ference, I got us some beers to have grown into a cacophony Heading into the quarterfi- said. “I saw players with their release the pressure. And we of criticism since Saturday nals against England, agent on the eve and after the all split in different direc- The skipper of Old Mudalians, Subash Chanaka receives the Shield award from Fazal Mohomed night’s humiliating 19-14 loss Lievremont says some players game instead of regrouping as tions.” (Chairman, organising Committee, WPRFU).