The exciting final tussle of the Army Inter Regiment Rugby Championship Tournament-2023, a much-awaited encounter in the Army sports calendar got underway on Friday (04) evening at Panagoda Army Rugby grounds amidst a huge gathering of rugby fans, Officers and Other Ranks, headed by Lieutenant General Vikum Liyanage RWP RSP ndu, Commander of the Army who attended as the day’s Chief Guest. The finals of Inter Regiment Rugby Championship tournament (women’s)-2023 too was held on the same day at Army Rugby Grounds Panagoda.
Major General W.A.S.S Wanasinghe RSP VSV USP ndu, Chief of Staff of the Army together with Major General M.G.W.W.W.M.C.B Wickramasinghe RWP RSP ndu psc, Director General General Staff (DGGS) of the Army and Chairman, Army Rugby Committee with Brigadier P.A.M Peiris RSP USP psc, Director Sports welcomed the Army Chief on arrival at the location.
The final tussle in the men’s category between the ruggerites of the Sri Lanka Signal Corps (SLSC) and Sri Lanka Army General Service Corps (SLAGSC) finally gave the Championship win to SLSC players with 19 – 17 scores.
In the women’s category, Sri Lanka Army General Service Corps players won the Championship pushing their rivals in the Sri Lanka Army Women’s Corps (SLAWC) to be runners-up with 17 – 05 scores.
The Inter Regiment Rugby Tournament kicked off several weeks ago on 9 June 2023 with the participation of rugby teams of sixteen Regiments in the men’s category and five Regiments in the women’s category as per guidelines given by the Army Rugby Committee, chaired by Major General M.G.W.W.W.M.C.B Wickramasinghe RWP RSP ndu psc, Director General General Staff (DGGS) of the Army.
Minutes after the thrilling encounters, Lieutenant General Vikum Liyanage after extending his warm congratulations to the winners presented Championship Trophies to SLSC and SLAGSC players amidst thundering applause. Prizes for the runners-up, and the rest were respectively distributed by Major General W.A.S.S Wanasinghe RSP VSV USP ndu and Senior Officers.
Ruggerite, Lance Corporal D.G.C.L Jayawickrama of SLSC Regiment was selected the Men’s Best Rugby player in the tournament and the Women’s Best Rugby player was Private K.A.N Kahandawa of SLAGSC.
The Commander of the Army on the same occasion took time off to award incentives and prizes to the group of athletes who performed in the recent Asian Athletics Championship – 2023 (AAC) in Thailand, Para Athletic World Championship 2023 in Paris and Commonwealth Senior, Junior and Youth Championships – 2023 in India. The occasion was made more memorable taking group photographs with winners and team members.
Towards the end of the event, the vote of thanks was delivered by Major General M.G.W.W.W.M.C.B Wickramasinghe RWP RSP ndu psc, Chairman, Army Rugby Committee.
Rugby’s popularity among both Army Officers and soldiers has earned a niche for itself in the Army calendar of sports and claims an admirable reputation for the organization, having produced a wide assortment of fine-tuned ruggerites who have hitherto made record victories both at service and national levels and a considerable series of victories while posing a formidable challenge to rivals across the country.
Major General D.M.K.D.B Pussella RWP RSP, Commander – SF (West), Major General G.R.R.P Jayawardena RWP RSP ndu and Quarter Master General (QMG), Major General S.P.A.I.M.B Samarakoon Hdmc Lsc, Commander, Army Logistic Command, Senior Officers, Officers and a large crowd of Other Ranks also witnessed the exciting events.
Achievements in the Inter Regiment Rugby Championship Tournament-2023 are as follows:
Men’s Cup Championship – Sri Lanka Signal Corps
Men’s Cup Runner-up – Sri Lanka Army General Service Corps
Men’s Third Place – Gajaba Regiment
Women’s Cup Championship – Sri Lanka Army General Service Corps
Women’s Cup Runner-up – Sri Lanka Army Women’s Corps
Women’s Third Place – Sri Lanka Engineers
Men’s Best Rugby Player – Lance Corporal D.G.C.L Jayawickrama of SLSC
Women’s Best Rugby Player – Private K.A.N Kahandawa of SLAGSC