Clifford Cup













































Clifford Cup

Current season or competition:
2018 Clifford Cup
Sport Rugby union
Instituted 1911
Inaugural season 1911
Number of teams 8
Country
 Sri Lanka (SLRFU)
Holders
Kandy SC (2018)
Most titles
Kandy Sports Club (21 titles)
Broadcast partner Dialog TV
Related competition Sri Lanka Rugby Championship (Dialog Rugby League)

The Clifford Cup is the most prestigious club rugby knockout tournament in Sri Lanka,[1][2] and arguably the oldest rugby tournament in Asia.[3] The Clifford Cup commenced in 1911 and has been played continuously since 1950, having completed 79 seasons. The tournament began as a competition between the mercantile executives in Colombo and planters in the hill country.




Contents






  • 1 History


    • 1.1 1911-1913


    • 1.2 1926-1938


    • 1.3 1950-present




  • 2 Trophy


  • 3 Teams


    • 3.1 Current teams


    • 3.2 Former teams




  • 4 Results


  • 5 Total wins


  • 6 See also


  • 7 References


  • 8 Notes


  • 9 External links





History



1911-1913


In 1911 Lady Elizabeth Clifford (the wife of the acting Governor of Ceylon, Sir Hugh Clifford) was interested in the annual rugby football fixture, Colombo versus Up Country, and expressed a wish that a match take place in Colombo on her birthday, 26 August, between teams representing the United Services and All Ceylon.[1][4] Due to unforeseen circumstances the scheduled date was put off by a week and the first Lady Clifford Cup match (as it was originally called)[2] was played on 2 September 1911, with the United Services team defeating All Ceylon 25 points to 0.[4] The All Ceylon team was composed entirely of European expatriates and the United Services team of members of the army and police force. In 1914 the army regiment from which many of the United Services were drawn was transferred from Ceylon following the outbreak of World War I.[5]



1926-1938


The competition was suspended until 1926 due to the war. In 1925 Sir Hugh Clifford returned to Ceylon as the Governor of Ceylon[5] and Lady Clifford, who was keen to revive the Clifford Cup tournament, donated another trophy for the competition in 1926. This time the Clifford Cup was awarded to the winner of a quadrangular tournament between four teams; Low Country, Up Country, Ceylonese and the United Services.[4][3] The competition pitted the Low Country against High Country teams and Ceylonese against United Services, with the respective winners competing for the cup. The first tournament in 1926 featured, Ceylonese R & FC, a team composed entirely of locally born players. Ceylonese R & FC lost their match against the United Services team, 3-6.[5] The cup was eventually won by Low Country, 14-3, against United Services. The following year Ceylonese R & FC defeated United Services, 16-8,[5] before losing to the cup winners, Up Country, 11-8.



1950-present


The competition then continued until 1938, when it was disrupted by the advent of the Second World War.[4] In 1950 the Central Province Rugby Football Union decided to grant official status to the league rugby tournament and the Clifford Cup was converted to an inter-club competition played amongst eight clubs, Kandy Sports Club, Dimbula Athletic & Cricket Club, Dickoya Maskeliya Cricket Club, Uva Gymkhana Club, Kelani Valley Club, Havelock Sports Club, Ceylonese Rugby & Football Club and Colombo Hockey and Football Club.[4][3][1] The Havelock Sports Club won the inaugural cup for that year, ending an undefeated season by the club by defeating Dimbula A & CC, 13-0.[1][4] Havelock SC retained the cup the following year again maintaining an unbeaten record during the season. In 1953 Dimbula became the first club from Up-Country to win the Clifford Cup by defeating the previous years cup holders, Ceylonese R & FC, 6-0.[4][6] The Kandy Sporting Club made their first appearance in a Clifford Cup final in 1954, where they lost 21-5 against Ceylonese R & FC. The cup was shared for the first time in 1959 when Dimbula and Ceylonese R & FC competed in an 11-all draw.[1]


In 1961 five 'affiliated' rugby clubs, Police, Army, University, Air Force and Navy from Division 'B' were invited to join the tournament and play against the 'constituent clubs', forming a thirteen team competition. The format of the competition was also changed, whereby all 13 clubs had to play each other once on a home and away basis in alternate years and at the end of the league season the best eight teams competed in a knock-out tournament for the Clifford Cup.


In 1985 the rugby league competition was renamed the John Player "Gold Leaf" Rugby Championships and the Sri Lanka Rugby Football Union decided to award the Clifford Cup to the winners of a separate knock-out tournament, conducted amongst the 'A' Division Clubs, held at the end of the regular season.[1]


In 1992 the Clifford Cup final was held in Kandy at Nittawella Stadium, the first time the cup final to be played outside of Colombo since 1957, at which Kandy SC defeated Police SC, by 22-9.[7]On that occasion both Ceylonese R & FC and Colombo H and FC boycotted the competition.[8] The Cup final, since 1992, has been held in Kandy with the exception being in 2006 when it was switched back to Colombo, resulting in Kandy SC withdrawing from that year's competition in protest.[7] On that occasion the cup was won by Ceylonese R & FC who defeated Havelock SC, 37-5. In 1998 the SLRFU decided to suspend the competition due to security concerns relating to the ongoing civil conflict however they resolved to reinstate it the following year. Since 2006 the cup final was held continuously in Kandy until 2011 when it was agreed to alternate the finals between Colombo and Kandy.[7][9]


In 2014 the Clifford Cup tournament was played in February/March, shifting from its traditional dates in the September/October period, resulting in no competition being played in 2013.



Trophy


In 1911 Lady Clifford consenting to provide two cups, which in the event of the Services winning, one would go to the Army and the other to the Navy whilst if the All Ceylon team won, one cup will go to Colombo, and the other to Up Country.[1]


The competition was suspended until 1926 due to World War I and during that time the original trophy was lost or misplaced. Lady Clifford, who was keen to revive the Clifford Cup tournament, donated another trophy for the competition in 1926.[1]



Teams



Current teams




Clifford Cup is located in Sri Lanka
Clifford Cup



CR & FC


Clifford Cup



CH & FC


Clifford Cup



Police SC


Clifford Cup



Air Force SC


Clifford Cup



Havelock SC



Kandy SC

Kandy SC



Army SC

Army SC



Navy SC

Navy SC




Locations of Clifford Cup teams

























































Club
Stadium
Capacity
Established

Ceylonese Rugby & Football Club

Longdon Place
5,550
1922

Colombo Hockey and Football Club
Maitland Park
2,000
1892

Havelock Sports Club

Havelock Park

1915

Kandy Sports Club

Nittawela Rugby Stadium
25,000
1888

Sri Lanka Air Force Sports Club

Air Force Ground Ratmalana



Sri Lanka Army Sports Club

Diyagama Mahinda Rajapaksa Stadium

1963

Sri Lanka Navy Sports Club

Welisara Navy ground



Sri Lanka Police Sports Club

Police Park
1,000
1926


Former teams



  • All Ceylon Rugby Football Club


  • Dickoya Maskeliya Cricket Club (established in 1868)


  • Dimbula Athletic & Cricket Club (established in 1856)


  • Hambantota Sharks (established in 2013)


  • Kelani Valley Club (established in 1885)

  • Low Country

  • United Services


  • Up Country Lions (established in 2012)


  • Uva Gymkhana Club (established in 1880)



Results



1911-1913


































Year Clifford Cup
Cup winner Runners-up Final Venue
Final
1911
United Services All Ceylon Rugby Football Club 25-0
1912
All Ceylon Rugby Football Club United Services 8-0
1913
United Services All Ceylon Rugby Football Club 3-0




1926-1938








































































































Year Clifford Cup
Cup winner Runners-up Final Venue
Final
1926
Low Country United Services 14-3
1927
Up Country Ceylonese Rugby & Football Club 11-8
1928
Low Country Ceylonese Rugby & Football Club 15-11
1929
Low Country United Services 23-3
1930
Low Country Ceylonese Rugby & Football Club 14-3
1931
Low Country Ceylonese Rugby & Football Club 27-6
1932
Up Country United Services 14-10
1933
Up Country United Services 20-3
1934
Low Country Ceylonese Rugby & Football Club 17-0
1935
Up Country United Services 11-0
1936
Low Country United Services 9-3
1937
Up Country United Services 25-10
1938
Up Country Ceylonese Rugby & Football Club 10-0




1950-1999









































































































































































































































































































































































Year Clifford Cup
Cup winner Runners-up Final Venue
Final
1950
Havelock Sports Club Dimbula Athletic & Cricket Club 13-0
1951
Havelock Sports Club
1952
Ceylonese Rugby & Football Club Uva Gymkhana Club 19-0
1953
Dimbula Athletic & Cricket Club Ceylonese Rugby & Football Club 6-0
1954
Ceylonese Rugby & Football Club Kandy Sports Club 21-5
1955
Ceylonese Rugby & Football Club Kandy Sports Club
1956
Ceylonese Rugby & Football Club
Dim/Dicks

1957
Colombo Hockey and Football Club
Dim/Dicks

1958
Ceylonese Rugby & Football Club Dickoya Maskeliya Cricket Club
1959

Ceylonese Rugby & Football Club
Dimbula Athletic & Cricket Club
drawn game 11-11
1960
Colombo Hockey and Football Club Dimbula Athletic & Cricket Club
1961
Havelock Sports Club Dickoya Maskeliya Cricket Club 11-9
1962
Colombo Hockey and Football Club Police Sports Club 6-6 [nb 1]
1963
Havelock Sports Club
1964
Havelock Sports Club
1965
Ceylonese Rugby & Football Club
1966
Ceylonese Rugby & Football Club
1967
Havelock Sports Club Police Sports Club Longdon Place 11-3
1968
Havelock Sports Club
1969
Ceylonese Rugby & Football Club
1970

Havelock Sports Club
Police Sports Club
drawn game 6-6
1971
Ceylonese Rugby & Football Club
1972
Police Sports Club Colombo Hockey and Football Club Havelock Park 12-9
1973

Army Sports Club
Police Sports Club
drawn game 19-19
1974
Havelock Sports Club Ceylonese Rugby & Football Club 16-4
1975
Army Sports Club Army Sports Club 4-3
1976
Havelock Sports Club Navy Sports Club 15-3
1977
Havelock Sports Club Air Force Sports Club
1978
Havelock Sports Club Kandy Sports Club Longdon Place 10-4
1979
Police Sports Club
1980
Police Sports Club
1981
Havelock Sports Club
1982
Colombo Hockey and Football Club
1983
Colombo Hockey and Football Club
1984
Police Sports Club
1985
Police Sports Club Havelock Sports Club 22-16
1986
Air Force Sports Club Police Sports Club 10-8
1987
Ceylonese Rugby & Football Club
1988
Ceylonese Rugby & Football Club
1989
Ceylonese Rugby & Football Club Navy Sports Club 6-3
1990
Colombo Hockey and Football Club Havelock Sports Club 4-0
1991
Police Sports Club Colombo Hockey and Football Club 13-11
1992
Kandy Sports Club Police Sports Club Nittawela Rugby Stadium 22-9
1993
Kandy Sports Club Colombo Hockey and Football Club Nittawela Rugby Stadium 18-16
1994
Colombo Hockey and Football Club Ceylonese Rugby & Football Club Nittawela Rugby Stadium 15-11
1995
Kandy Sports Club Police Sports Club Nittawela Rugby Stadium 16-12
1996
Kandy Sports Club Nittawela Rugby Stadium
1997
Kandy Sports Club Nittawela Rugby Stadium
1998
No tournament
1999
Kandy Sports Club Ceylonese Rugby & Football Club Nittawela Rugby Stadium 21-18
















































































































































Year Clifford Cup
Cup winner Runners-up Final Venue
Final
2000
Kandy Sports Club Army Sports Club Nittawela Rugby Stadium 39-12
2001
Kandy Sports Club Army Sports Club Nittawela Rugby Stadium 17-16
2002
Kandy Sports Club Army Sports Club Nittawela Rugby Stadium 26-19
2003
Kandy Sports Club Colombo Hockey and Football Club Nittawela Rugby Stadium 30-22
2004
Kandy Sports Club Havelock Sports Club Nittawela Rugby Stadium 51-20
2005
Kandy Sports Club Colombo Hockey and Football Club Nittawela Rugby Stadium 31-6
2006
Ceylonese Rugby & Football Club Havelock Sports Club Longdon Place 37-05[nb 2]
2007
Kandy Sports Club Ceylonese Rugby & Football Club Nittawela Rugby Stadium 16-5
2008
Kandy Sports Club Ceylonese Rugby & Football Club Nittawela Rugby Stadium 21-0
2009
Kandy Sports Club Ceylonese Rugby & Football Club Nittawela Rugby Stadium 10-6
2010
Kandy Sports Club Navy Sports Club Bogambara Stadium 26-11
2011
Kandy Sports Club Navy Sports Club Royal College Sports Complex 17-6

2012
Kandy Sports Club Havelock Sports Club Bogambara Stadium 7-5
2013
No tournament

2014
Navy Sports Club Havelock Sports Club Colombo Racecourse 27-22

2015
Kandy Sports Club Police SC Nittawella Rugby Stadium 77-7

2016
Kandy Sports Club Ceylonese Rugby & Football Club Colombo Racecourse 31-28

2017
Kandy Sports Club Havelock Sports Club Nittawella Rugby Stadium 32-20

2018
Kandy Sports Club Navy Sports Club Longdon Place 21-7


Total wins


The Kandy Sports Club has won the Clifford Cup a record 21 times, including a consecutive period of ten years between 1995 and 2005 (the competition was not held in 1998) and six consecutive years between 2007 and 2012. In 2006 the Kandy Sports Club and Navy SC both withdrew from the tournament (Kandy due to dispute over the ground allocation and Navy as their members were called up for national service duty), the Cup was won by the Ceylonese Rugby & Football Club. The Ceylonese R & FC have won it 14 times, including a tie with Dimbula ACC, Havelock SC have won 13 times including a tie with Police SC, Police SC 8 times with ties against Havelock SC and Army SC, Colombo H & FC 7 times, Dimbula A & CC twice including a tie with Ceylonese R & FC, Army SC twice with one tie with Police SC, whilst Air Force SC and Navy SC have only won the cup once.[2][4]









































































Club
Wins
Seasons
Kandy Sports Club 21 1992, 1993, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018
Ceylonese Rugby & Football Club 14 1952, 1954, 1955, 1956, 1958, 1959‡, 1965, 1966, 1969, 1971, 1987, 1988, 1989, 2006
Havelock Sports Club 13 1950, 1951, 1961, 1963, 1964, 1967, 1968, 1970‡, 1974, 1976, 1977, 1978, 1981
Police Sports Club 8 1970‡, 1972, 1973‡, 1979, 1980, 1984, 1985, 1991
Colombo Hockey and Football Club 7 1957, 1960, 1962, 1982, 1983, 1990, 1994
Low Country 7 1926, 1928, 1929, 1930, 1931, 1934, 1936
Up Country 6 1927, 1932, 1933, 1935, 1937, 1938
Army Sports Club 2 1973‡, 1975
Dimbula Athletic & Cricket Club 2 1953, 1959‡
United Services 2 1911, 1913
Air Force Sports Club 1 1986
Navy Sports Club 1
2014
All Ceylon 1 1912

  • ‡ Shared


See also



  • Sri Lanka Rugby Championship (Dialog Rugby League)

  • President's Trophy Knockout Tournament



References





  1. ^ abcdefgh Wijerante, Neil (9 March 2014). "Clifford Cup - The Blue Riband of Sri Lanka Rugby" (PDF). Sunday Leader. p. 20. Retrieved 4 November 2014..mw-parser-output cite.citation{font-style:inherit}.mw-parser-output .citation q{quotes:"""""""'""'"}.mw-parser-output .citation .cs1-lock-free a{background:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/6/65/Lock-green.svg/9px-Lock-green.svg.png")no-repeat;background-position:right .1em center}.mw-parser-output .citation .cs1-lock-limited a,.mw-parser-output .citation .cs1-lock-registration a{background:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/d/d6/Lock-gray-alt-2.svg/9px-Lock-gray-alt-2.svg.png")no-repeat;background-position:right .1em center}.mw-parser-output .citation .cs1-lock-subscription a{background:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/a/aa/Lock-red-alt-2.svg/9px-Lock-red-alt-2.svg.png")no-repeat;background-position:right .1em center}.mw-parser-output .cs1-subscription,.mw-parser-output .cs1-registration{color:#555}.mw-parser-output .cs1-subscription span,.mw-parser-output .cs1-registration span{border-bottom:1px dotted;cursor:help}.mw-parser-output .cs1-ws-icon a{background:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/4c/Wikisource-logo.svg/12px-Wikisource-logo.svg.png")no-repeat;background-position:right .1em center}.mw-parser-output code.cs1-code{color:inherit;background:inherit;border:inherit;padding:inherit}.mw-parser-output .cs1-hidden-error{display:none;font-size:100%}.mw-parser-output .cs1-visible-error{font-size:100%}.mw-parser-output .cs1-maint{display:none;color:#33aa33;margin-left:0.3em}.mw-parser-output .cs1-subscription,.mw-parser-output .cs1-registration,.mw-parser-output .cs1-format{font-size:95%}.mw-parser-output .cs1-kern-left,.mw-parser-output .cs1-kern-wl-left{padding-left:0.2em}.mw-parser-output .cs1-kern-right,.mw-parser-output .cs1-kern-wl-right{padding-right:0.2em}


  2. ^ abc Mendis, Richard (18 August 2007). "Clifford Cup". The Island. Retrieved 4 November 2014.


  3. ^ abc de Joodt, Ken (14 August 2013). "Re-capping the Glory Days of Rugby". Ceylon Today. Retrieved 4 November 2014.


  4. ^ abcdefgh Marikar, Hafiz (20 August 2011). "Clifford Cup trophy now 100 years". Daily News. Retrieved 4 November 2014.


  5. ^ abcd De Alwis, Sharm. "Looking Back on the Clifford Cup". Sunday Leader. Retrieved 5 November 2014.


  6. ^ Marikar, Hafiz (29 July 2010). "When will they lose their Prestige". Daily News. Retrieved 4 November 2014.


  7. ^ abc Marikar, Hafiz (7 September 2011). "Change of Clifford Cup venues". Daily News. Retrieved 10 November 2014.


  8. ^ "Kandy or Colombo: a 72-mile long debate". The Sunday Leader. 4 June 2006. Retrieved 10 November 2014.


  9. ^ Marika, Hafiz (12 March 2014). "When KSC let slip the Clifford Cup". Daily News. Retrieved 10 November 2014.




Notes




  1. ^ In 1962 the competition ended in a draw but the cup was awarded to CH&FC on the basis of their unbeaten record during the season.


  2. ^ In 2006 Kandy SC withdrew from the competition in protest against the SLRFU's decision to hold the cup final in Colombo.



External links



  • History of Clifford Cup - News First

  • Official union page










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