Schools body decides to hold rugby final at neutral venue Match could be moved to Kandy - Nittawela or Bogambara

Following the meeting Isipathana College representatives had with the Sri Lanka Schools Rugby Football Association (SLSRFA) officials at Lumbini College yesterday, the SLSRFA have been forced to take the decision to hold the Milo inter-schools president trophy knockout tournament final match between Isipathana College and Royal College at a neutral
SLSRFA officials had met on Monday to take up the protest lodged by Isipathana to move the venue for the final from the Royal Sports Complex as it gave their opponents an unfair advantage and after much deliberation invited reps from Isipathana for a meeting yesterday.
Isipathana had lodged a protest over the venue two weeks ago on June 22 and followed it up with another reminder to the SLSRFA after Royal College entered the final beating arch rivals S. Thomas' College ML last Sunday at the Royal Sports Complex. In the history of Sri Lanka schools rugby never has a school team who had come to the inter-schools knockout final been given the luxury to play at their home venue. It has always been played at a neutral venue.
Denzil Darling, the secretary SLSRFA told the 'Daily News' yesterday that as a result of the discussions between the SLSRFA and Isipathana representatives, the association had finally decided to hold the final at a neutral venue.
"We are presently searching for a neutral venue. Havelock Park and Longden Place are definitely out as both grounds have been used by Isipathana College before as their home venue," said Darling.
"The Sugathadasa Stadium is also out with renovations and the Racecourse together with the Air Force grounds in Ratmalana are not favourable for security reasons. We will most probably try to book the Mahinda Rajapaksa Stadium in Diyagama and confirm it tomorrow," he said.
Even though Darling mentioned Diyagama as a probable venue for the final what he has overlooked is the fact that it is not possible to play the match there since it will be used to host the 3-day National Athletic Championships from July 8-10.
A Isipathana rugby committee media spokesman said, "We had a very bad experience on two consecutive occasions last year when we played against Royal in the league decider final as well as the Milo knockout final. When we arrived at the Royal Sports Complex we were suspicious about the ground conditions. We found that the ground had been over watered and become really muddy which hampered our three quarters and our pattern of play. Why we requested the school's association for a neutral venue for the final is because we don't want undergo that experience for a third successive time. We don't want to fall into the same trap again."
Meanwhile the 'Daily News' reliably learns that the schools knockout final could be moved to Kandy and played at either the Nittawela or Bogambara stadium.