Dialog Schools Rugby League 2023 Kick-Off on 14th of June

Harsha Samaranayake Vice President - Brand and Media, Group Marketing, Dialog Axiata PLC, handing over the handing over the sponsorship cheque for the Dialog Schools Rugby League 2023 to Kamal Ariyasinghe, President, SLSRFA in the presence of Upali Amarathunga, Deputy Director, Sports and Physical Education, Ministry of Education.

Also in the picture (L-R) Damitha Perera, Treasurer, SLSRFA, Nirodha Wijerama, Secretary, SLSRFA, Pubudu Aluthgedara, Senior General Manager / Head - Business - Media and Content, Dialog Axiata PLC, Prashan Costa, Senior Manager - Marketing Operations, Dialog Axiata PLC.

The much-awaited season opener of the ‘Dialog Schools Rugby League’ 2023 will kick-off on the 14th of this month with the season’s, Division 1 Segment A contenders, St. Joseph's College, Colombo, who will take on St.Anthony’s College at the Bogambara grounds in Kandy from 3.30pm onwards, while the second match of the season will be played on 17th of June between S. Thomas' College and Wesley College, Colombo at STC Grounds with kick-off at 3.45pm.

As the principal sponsor, Dialog Axiata has made arrangements to LIVE stream the matches via thepapare.com, Dialog VIU mobile app and will also be shown LIVE on Dialog TV Channel 126 in the interest of all present boys, old boys, parents, supporters, well-wishers and the Rugby-loving public.

In the much-awaited Division 1 Segment A of the Dialog School’s Rugby League 2023 tourney two additional teams, Zahira College, Colombo and DS Senanayake College, Colombo who got promoted from Segment 1 Group B from last year’s tourney, will join the 12 teams from last year to compete in 42 matches of the 2023 season. The Dialog School’s Rugby K/O Tournament will kick off eleven weeks later at an independent venue organised by the Sri Lanka Schools Rugby Football Association (SLSRFA).

The 12 other schools who will compete for the Division 1 Segment A of the Dialog Schools Rugby League 2022 consists of Isipathana College Colombo, Royal College Colombo, St. Peter’s College Colombo, St. Joseph’s College Colombo, Wesley College Colombo, S. Thomas’ College, Mt. Lavinia, Trinity College, Kandy, Science College, Mount Lavinia, Kingswood College, Kandy, Vidyartha College, Kandy, St. Anthony’s College, Katugasthota and Dharmaraja College, Kandy. A further 24 more schools will compete under the categories of Division 1 Segment B and C, while another 29 schools will compete in Division 2 and Division 3 of the Dialog Schools Rugby League to secure the top position in their respective group.

In last year’s season of the ‘Dialog Schools Rugby League’, Sri Lanka’s bule ribbon schools’ rugby competition after tightly fought season amongst Sri Lanka’s top rugby playing schools, the Green Machine, Isipathana College, Colombo put a fine display of their historical dominance of the sport to walk away as Champs of the Dialog Schools Rugby League and Dialog Schools Rugby K/O tourneys.

Isipathana College, Colombo, St. Peter’s College, Colombo, St. Joseph’s College, Colombo, Royal College, Colombo, S. Thomas’ College, Mt. Lavinia and Trinity College, Kandy are expected to be the top contenders for this year’s tourney.

“This year’s tourney will be the first full season played by the schools and since the COVID-19 pandemic and we expect a large audience at the matches by Sri Lanka’s rugby community in the upcoming 3 months,” Kamal Ariyasinghe, President, Sri Lanka Schools Rugby Football Association (SLSRFA) said. “I would like to thank our principal sponsor Dialog Axiata for coming forth to support SLSRFA and Sri Lanka sports, especially in this challenging economic environment for corporates.”

‘School’s Rugby is one of the most followed tournaments in Sri Lanka and we are pleased that the SLSRFA is able to conduct a full season which will be a much-needed boost for the sport and the following,” Harsha Samaranayake, Vice President, Brand and Media, Dialog Axiata PLC said. “Supporting the future champions of Sri Lanka sports is very close to our heart. I wish SLSRFA and all schoolboys the very best for the 2023 season.”

Dialog Axiata is the proud sponsor of the Sri Lanka National Cricket, Volleyball, Netball and Esports teams. The Company also has a close association with the President’s Gold Cup Volleyball, National Junior and Senior Netball Tourneys, Schools Rugby, Sri Lanka Golf Open, and Paralympic sports by powering the Army Para Games, National Para Games and the Sri Lankan contingent to the World Paralympic Games.

Division 1 – Segment A
Captains of the Dialog Schools Rugby League Division 1 Segment A Schools

Division 1 – Segment B
Captains from Dialog Schools Rugby League Division 1 Segment B Schools

Division 1 – Segment C
Captains from Dialog Schools Rugby League Division 1 Segment C Schools