Rugby Football ‘Sevens’ 2015 from July 10

The 45th Mercantile Rugby Football “Sevens” 2015, conducted by the Mercantile Rugby Football Association (MRFA) will be held on July 10, 11 and 12 J at CR and FC Grounds with the participation of 33 teams.

The first match will kick off at 1.30 pm on July 10 and will go on till 8.00 pm, under lights, consisting of 21 matches.

The bulk of the league matches will take place on Saturday, July 11, commencing at 9.00 am and will go on till 8.00 pm, under lights, consisting of 41 matches.

The elimination round matches from quarter finals onwards will take place on the final day Sunday from 9.00 am onwards. The grand “Cup” final will be played at 6.30 pm. The final day’s play will feature 20 matches including the 4 finals (Cup, Plate, Bowl and Shield ) and an exhibition women’s match between SL Army and SL Airforce.

“Cup” Championship (5 teams)

Group “A”: MAS Holdings “A” (defending), Access Group (2014 runners-up), MAS Holdings “B”, John Keells “A” and “B” and Dialog Axiata “A”.

“Bowl” Championship (10 teams Pooled into 2 groups)

Group “B”: John Keells Group “B”, Kandurata Umbrella “A”, HSBC, Sri Lanka Insurance and Citizens Development Bank “Red”.

Group “C”: Citizens Development Bank “Blue”, Commercial Credit, Dialog Axiata “B”, Sampath Bank and Nations Trust Bank.

“Shield” Championship (18 teams pooled into 4 groups)

Group “D”:Janashakthi Insurance, NDB Bank “B”, Virtusa, Union Bank and Brandix Group

Group “E”: NDB Bank “A”, Gestetner (New), Attune Lanka, Millennium IT and Commercial Bank.

Group “F”: Ceylon Tobacco Co., Merchant Bank Sri Lanka, Hirdaramani Group and Pan Asia Bank.

Group “G”: Lughs Group (New), Expolanka Group, Kandurata Umbrella “B” and Kanrich Finance (New)

A notable absentee is the 2012 “Cup” winner and 2014 “Plate” Winner, Nation Lanka Finance.

There is a further drop of teams (39 in 2014) this year probably due to the tournament is being held during the Ramadan fasting season.

John Keells Group still holds the record of most number of “Cup” wins (10), but their last win was recorded 14 years ago in 1999.

MAS Holdings the Cup Winner in 2010, 2011 and 2014 is tipped strongly to retain the title, but it is believed that Access Group will take them to the extreme, perhaps wrest back the title which they won in 2000.