Team MAS won the Shield Championship at the 53rd Mercantile Rugby 7s with a superb display of fast open rugby. In the finals they beat Commercial Credit in grand style 30-14, it was a strong and rewarding comeback for MAS as they were previously defeated by the same opposition in the group stage.
The tournament, organised by the Mercantile Rugby Football Association (MRFA), was held at the CR&FC Grounds, Longden Place, Colombo on the 12th and 13th of September where many games were played under lights adding a carnival atmosphere for arguably the most looked forward to event in the mercantile sporting calendar.
The victorious MAS outfit was led by Sachinka Abeyesekara.
In the Shield finals Chamod Fernando opened the scoring with a bang in the 1st minute. Thamuditha Dodanwatte scored the second. Speedster Vishwa Ranaraja went over for the 3rd try at the brink of half time. Come the 2nd half, Darshana Udalagama scored back to back tries for MAS to lay their hands on the Shield Championship. Later the talismanic playmaker Dodanwatte scored yet again for a well deserved try to seal the game.
MAS Rugby – Road to Shield Championship
Group stage:
MAS 43-00 Hemas
MAS 44-00 NDB Bank
MAS 19-21 Commercial Credit
MAS 26-00 Commercial Bank
Knockout stage:
Shield Quarters : MAS 19-00 Foresight Engineering
Shield Semis : MAS 12-05 NTB
Shield Final : MAS 30-14 Commercial Credit
MAS Holdings Rugby 7s team – Sachinka Abeyesekara (C), Vishwa Ranaraja (VC), Chamod Fernando,Thamuditha Dodanwatte, Maleesha Madumewan, Asanga Ranasinha, Darshana Udalagama, Kalana Chamalpriya, Riley Douglas, Avishka Edirisinhe, Ranuka Ashan Kannangara, Himansa Indrajith
Coach-Chanaka Chandimal
Manager-Pasindu Manilka
Physio- Athula Pathma Siri