DMCC Rugby 7’s a great success - March 2007

The Dickoya Maskeliya Cricket Club (DMCC) held its Inter-Plantations Rugby 7’s tournament on March 31st at their home ground in Darrawela. The MJF Group, through its flagship brand Dilmah and its industry service project, History of Ceylon Tea (HOCT) website (www.historyofceylontea.com) was the principle sponsor and has committed its support to this tournament for the next two years as well.

This year’s tournament was an unqualified success with 16 plantation companies participating, and generated a great deal of support and interest within the plantation community. A large crowd descended upon the picturesque Darrawela grounds which had assumed a carnival atmosphere, dotted as it were, with colourful team, food and beverage stall marquees. Also present was the now customary papara band, with their vibrant trumpet sounds and rhythmic drums. Displaying no less stamina than the rugby players themselves, the band pierced the normally tranquil valley of the beautifully manicured surrounding tea fields of Darrawela and Wanarajah Estates.

Proceedings commenced early morning with a brief but colourful opening ceremony incorporating students from the local plantation schools, which included a marching band. Welcoming the guests of honour and flag raising ceremony was followed by a group photograph, after which the tournament got under way.

It was evident that the teams had approached this tournament with a desire to perform well with all teams displaying a high degree of preparation and enthusiasm. The tournament was designed on International Rugby 7’s guidelines which allowed for three tiers of competition following the first round in which each of the four teams in each group played on a round-robin basis.

The first placed teams in each of the groups’ then went onto battle for the DMCC Trophy, the second placed vied for the Plate Final and those placed third, for the Bowl Final.

In the Bowl Final, Kelani Valley Plantations easily overcame Watawala Plantations scoring 30 points to 5, with the Plate Final being a much closer affair that saw Talawakelle emerge victorious with a 12 points to 7 win over Malwatte Valley.

The Plate Final proved to be an ideal curtain raiser for the main event which had the large and vociferous crowd on their feet, more so as the finalists were local regional plantation companies, Bogowantalawa and Maskeliya.  In a closely fought tussle, Bogowantalawa prevailed with a 15 points to 5 win, annexing the DMCC Trophy 2007 in the process.

The 16 plantation teams that participated were Namunukulla, Kegalle, Malvatte Valley, Elpitiya, Kelani Valley, Bogowantalawa, Balangoda, Agrapatna, Hapugastenna, Mathurata, Watawala, Kotagala, Maskeliya, Pussellawa, Talawakelle & Uda Pussellawa.

By David Colin-Thomé
Editor