• • Facebook
  • Digg
  • Del.icio.us
  • Technorati
  • Reddit
  • Stumble Upon
  • Furl

The 4th Coca Cola Punjab Junior (Inter-School) rugby championship took place in Lahore on Sunday, it was the biggest junior championship ever held in Pakistan with 26 teams and over 270 participants’ teams with team representing schools from all over Punjab.

The opening ceremony was performed by Maj Gen M Ashraf Chaudhry – President Punjab Rugby Association who met all the boys and was encouraged by the attendance and the enthusiasm of the teams.

The chief guest for the closing ceremony was Mr. David Dwyer the fitness trainer for the Pakistan National cricket team and an international rugby coach Mr. Dwyer gave away the prizes to the participants, the PE teachers, and the victorious teams. The efforts of the School PE teachers, the Punjab Rugby Association development officer and coach were duly appreciated.

Mr. Dwyer spoke to the Children afterwards and told them to make sure next year they get a friend to play rugby and rugby would grow, he congratulated PRA for the work done in the development of rugby and with so many young people taking up the sport means that there is a bright future for rugby in Punjab and in Pakistan

The schools that participated in the under 14 category were ,The Trust School Amir town (2 teams), Government Model high Model Town (2 teams), Garrison Boys High School, The city School Chenab campus Faisalabad ,Government High School Juloo Morh , Government High School Bhawalnagar , The City School Kapco Kot Addu , The City School Ravi campus, The Trust School Thoker Niaz Baig , Falcon Dha B ,Garrison Academy for Boys

In the Under 17 category , Government Model High School Model town (2 teams) Garrison Boys High School, Government High School Juloo Morh , Government High School Bhawalnagar (2 teams), Government High School Fort Abbas , The City School Ravi campus , The Trust School Thoker Niaz Baig , Falcon Dha ,Garrison Academy for Boys , CNS Trust School Gulberg , Government High School Sheikhupura

The Championship was played on a 7's-a-side format , teams were placed in group A- D , preliminary rounds were played by teams in each group to determine the group winner, 4 teams ( in both the under-14 and under-17 categories ) , then entered the knock-out stage to compete for the winners cup .

Results

Under 17: Semi finals - The Falcon Dha beat Trust School Thoker Niaz Baig 21-0, Garrison Boys High School beat Government High School Juloo Morh 5-0. Final - Falcon Dha beat Garrison Boys High School 38-0.

Under 14: Semi finals - Falcon Dha beat Garrison Academy for Boys 7-0, The Trust School Thoker Niaz Baig School beat Government High School Juloo Morh 5-0. Final - Falcon Dha beat The Trust School Thoker Niaz Baig School 5-0.

It was a great sight to see so many youngsters enthusiastically participating in a well organized Tournament played by International Standards and well conducted by a panel of experienced referee’s and tournament officials.

The championship was arranged by the Punjab Rugby Association under the auspices of the Pakistan Rugby Union and sponsored by Coca Cola Export Corporation Pakistan.