BY SANDHYA DISSANAYAKE, ATTORNEY-AT-LAW
S. Thomas’ Preparatory School will celebrate 50 years of rugby at the school with the launch of the Prep Youth Rugby Carnival 2026, which is scheduled to begin on June 6 at Longden Place.
Tournament details were officially announced during a press conference held at the school on Thursday (21) by Tournament Director and AGOAL Rugby International Director/CEO Dilroy Fernando.
According to Fernando, 11 schools and rugby institutions have already confirmed participation for the tournament, which is expected to bring together some of the country’s leading youth rugby programmes.
Participating teams include S. Thomas’ College, Royal College, St. Peter’s College, St. Joseph’s College, Isipathana College, Nalanda College and the AGOAL Rugby Academy.
The tournament will feature competitions across four age categories — Under-10, Under-12, Under-14 and Under-16 — giving young players an opportunity to showcase their skills in a structured competitive environment.
The Under-10 competition will be played in the Tag Rugby seven-a-side format, while the Under-12 category will feature Tackling seven-a-side matches.
Meanwhile, the Under-14 and Under-16 divisions will both be contested in the Tackling ten-a-side format, promising fast-paced and competitive rugby action.
Special trophies and awards will be presented in the Under-14 and Under-16 categories, including Cup Champions, Cup Runners-up, Plate Champions, Plate Runners-up, and Most Valuable Player (MVP) honours.
The carnival is expected to serve as a major platform for grassroots rugby development while also commemorating five decades of rugby tradition at S. Thomas’ Preparatory School.
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