Rugby in Sri Lanka

The game of rugby was introduced by the British in Sri Lanka well over a hundred years ago. Rugby is said to be a game of ruffians played by gentlemen. This however can fall by the wayside in a heated scrum or tackle, when players’ skill, stamina and physical ability are put to the test. The game of rugby was developed from the rules used to play an early form of football. Sri Lanka has a few rugby clubs spread around the country. Rugby in Sri Lanka is immensely popular among School and local club sides.The official body looking at all the matters relating to rugby is popularly known as the Sri Lanka Rugby Football Union. The Rugby Football union came into existence in the year 1975 and has garnered popular support and experience for more than 25 years now.
The Singer Sri Lanka Rugby sevens tournament which was held in Kandy in 1999 during August and September was the first of its kind to be held for Asia. Ten visiting teams participated in it .Korea emerged as the Champions. Other nations that participated were Japan, Chinese Taipei, China, Malaysia, Hong Kong, Singapore, Thailand and India along with the host side Sri Lanka. Sri Lanka Rugby football has made an endeavor to organize such tournaments annually in order to popularize the event and harness the hidden talent and bring them out on the rugby field.
The exciting Rugby Season has its start from the month of April to August. So if you are on a vacation in Sri Lanka during this time of the year, you can catch on a lot of Rugby action being organized in both School and Clubs. Champions of the Rugby sport are selected on a league basis. However Sri Lanka still has to achieve International Standards. It has to garner huge support and enough resources to witness a Sri Lankan Rugby player ranked amongst the top rankings in the Asian and World circuits. Rugby teams in Sri Lanka:

- SL Army SC
- CH & FC
- CR & FC
- SLAF SC
- Dim / Dicks SC
- Havelock SC
- Kandy SC
- Jawatte Lions
- Galle RFC
- Police
- OZSC
- Rugby grounds in Sri Lanka.
- CR & FC Grounds – Colombo 7
- CH & FC Grounds – Colombo 7
- Police Grounds – Colombo 5
- Army Grounds – Galle Face
- Nittawela Grounds – Kandy
- Air Force Grounds – Ratmalana
- Navy Grounds – Welisara
- Sri Lanka’s Women Rugby team :
- Army Sports Club
- Anuradhapura Rugby Football Club
- Black Meres Rugby Football Club
- Bomiriya Central College
- CR & FC
- Dhambulla Central College
- Kakirawa Centarl College
With so many popular Rugby teams coming up in Sri Lanka the future of Rugby in Sri Lanka certainly looks brighter and one hopes it is successful in making its mark at the world circuit.