SSRFA’s poor planning mars Under 18 Elite Sevens

Saturday, 30 August 2025 01:23 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

Sri Lanka Schools Rugby Football Association (SSRFA) will stage the Under 18 Elite Rugby Sevens today and tomorrow (30-31 August) at the Bogambara Stadium in Kandy. However, the tournament has already drawn criticism for its poor organisation and planning.

One of the main concerns is that schools were notified only two days before the kick off. This late notice placed immense pressure on teams, especially Colombo schools, who struggled to arrange travel and accommodation in the Central Hills.

The poor communication has also led to several notable withdrawals by powerhouses Trinity, Royal, and S. Thomas have opted out, citing preparation for the Bradby Shield second leg while Thomians pulling out is not clear at the moment. This reduces the competitive edge of the event and raises questions about the SSRFA’s ability to stage tournaments of this magnitude.

Another major concern is the choice of venue Instead of securing the Nittawela Rugby Stadium which offers better player safety and facilities, organisers have opted for the Bogambara Stadium, which is ill-suited for a fast-paced sevens format plus putting the player safety in danger.

Meanwhile, the Pallekele Rugby Stadium owned by Trinity College, was unavailable due to Bradby preparations. Yet, the failure to secure Nittawela, the traditional venue for top-tier rugby, highlights another administrative blunder by SSRFA.

Despite these shortcomings, the tournament will feature 23 teams in eight groups.

But the shadow of poor planning, late communication, and unsafe playing conditions looms large over what should have been a celebration of school rugby.

Pool – A

Isipathana College, Ananda College, St Aloysius College

Pool – B

St Peters College, Mahanama College, Siri Priyarathna College Padukka

Pool – C

St Joseph’s College, Sumangala College Kandy

Pool – D

D.S. Senanayake College, Science College, St Benedict’s College

Pool – E

Zahira College, St Anthonys College, St Sylvester’s College

Pool – F

Wesley College, Kingswood College, Sri Sumangala College Panadura

Pool – G

Vidyartha College, Prince of Wales College, Maliyadeva College

Pool – H

Dharmaraja College, Thurstan College, Lumbini College-(SJ)