5P0RT IN CEYLON. 
CRBCKET, FOOTBALL, HOCKEY, RACES, &c. 
RUGBY FOOTBALL IN fBYLON. 
THE PAST RUGGER SEASON. 
The Ceylon Rugger Season is now at an end, and 
a brief summary of the matches played between 
the various clubs will no doubt pi'ove useful and 
of interest. We also give an account of this year's 
Colombo— Upcountry match, and a list of previous 
matches with details as to scores etc, which will 
be useful for reference. We have no doubt that 
looting over the results of these past great 
matches many a planter Upcountry will be plea- 
santly reminded of former victoi les lost and won 
on the Rugger field, and we shall be pleased to hear 
from any siich of noteworthy and interesting facts, 
In connection with these bygone historic games, 
which may be worth recording in the T. A. Sport- 
ing Supplement. 
COLOMBO VS. UPCOUNTRY : 
UP-COUNTRY WON BY 2 GOALS (10 POINTS) TO 
COLOMBO'S 1 GOAL (5 POINTS). 
This annual match between Colombo and a team 
representative of all Upcountry districts was 
played on the Havslock Racecourse on August 
10th. The teams were very evenly matched, and a 
most exciting and well fought-out game was 
witnessed by the usual large crowd. Thei'e was 
little to choose between the teams, and it was 
more a matter of good luck that gave the victory 
bv two goals to one to Upcountry. It may be 
recorded here that Colombo crossed their oppo- 
nents' lino twice, but the referee di.sallowed the 
first try ; and a " no charge " being ruled when 
Colombo were kicking their coal, Paterson placed 
the ball himself for his kick, there being some 
discussion as to the legality of such a proceeding. 
We understand the matter has been referred to the 
English Rugby Union. 
The respective teams were as follows : — 
Colombo.— Brrcfr, Oapt. Lister, r.w k. : three- 
quarters. Lieut. L. Larniour, r.a., Lieut. A. S. 
Hewitt, R.W.K., W. E. M. Paterson fCaptain'. F. 
Balkwill : halves, A. D. Skrine, Lieut E. H. Rooke, 
B E. ; fonvards, W. S. Thornton, H. G Hall, Lieut. 
W. S Mackenzie, A. F. West, T. H. Tatham. J. 
Scott. O. S. Wickwar, T. L. Brown. 
Upcountry.— BacA:, A. S. Bell (Dikova): three- 
quarters, W R. F. Brock (Kandv), J. MncTler 
(Kandy), J. Tilly rDimhnla>, W. Lloyd (Dikova, 
Captalnl : hn/refi, B. C. N. Knight 'DikoyaV Ian 
Forbes (Dimhulal, A. E. Ogilvy (Kandyl. H. D. 
MacMillan (Dikova), H. L. Dowbistain (Kandvl, 
W. R. Baird (Kaiidv), P. Healing (Dimbula), E. H. 
Oantrell (Dikovat. 
The following is reprinted from the Ceylon 
Observer Illustrated August Souvenir for 1903: — 
A FINK WIN BY UP-COUNTRY. 
PLAY SPOILT BY BAD WEATHER : NOTES ON 
THE PLAY. 
If the imprecations of mere mortals have any 
effect upon that terrible personage, the Clerk of 
the Weather, the gentleman in question must 
be in a bad state at present. The whole of Colombo 
— and "Colombo" in August week means half 
Ceylon— was disappointed yesterday when it be- 
came evident that the rain was no passing shower 
but had set in for a continuous fall. Bitter 
indeed was the disappointment of the numerou.<3 
ladies, the majority of whom had reluctantly to 
leave beautiful toilettes at home and don some 
garment slightly leas beautiful but more suitable 
to the dreadful weather conditions prevailing. 
The costumes of the fair sex worn at this the 
most attractive and intei-esting meeting probably 
of the v/eek could be easily described, for 
waterproofs and raincoats wei'e the order of the 
day. A record crowd was on the Havelock Race- 
course to watch this annual "'battle of the giants," 
the picked rugger warriors of Ceylon. 
Never has more interest been displayed in the 
match, never have players been keener In their 
efforts to get a place in the team, and never 
were Colombo nearer turning the tide of Up- 
copntrv wins than this season. Colombo's 
proverbial ill-luck seemed happily to have deserted 
them, and Fortune appeared to be smiling on 
the seaside men, for not one of the picked team 
had to cry off, while on the other hand Upcountry 
had to call out A. S. Bell of Dikoya who most 
ably took H. B. T. Bouchers' place at full-back, 
and were also. without Moir's services. 
THE CHARACTER OF THE GAME. 
It was a matter of general opinion that given 
a dry fast ground, as the previous weeks pro- 
mised; Colombo with her first-class line of 
three-quarters would in all probability make a 
win yesterday; on a wet ground, where it was 
heavy going and the game naturally of a tor- 
ward character, Colombo's advantage in the 
open would not be so great and a very even, 
contest betv^een the forwards would ensue 
This is precisely what happened ; the whole day'^ 
rain made the turf sodden and wet and ver^ 
slippery, and although the outs were able t'' 
play a good game when thev did get the oppor- 
tunity it was essentially a forwnrd game, a 
fast forward game. ScrimmaKcs were frequent 
and sometimes of Ions: duration, the advantage 
being sometimes with Colombo and as often with 
the visitors. As they jnarched on to the field, 
punctual to time, one could not help being stmck 
by the appearance of this flue set of thirty 
athletes ; weight for weight there seemed liltle to 
choose between the two teams, and their even 
weiglit in the scrimmages was veiy apparent. 
In the last part of the game, however, the 
better general fitness and hardness of the Hill- 
men was evident and told more in the way 
tliey worked in tlie scrums, and the somewhai 
better dash tliov carried out to the end 
of the game. Tlie steady downfall of rain 
in which Thornton started play, made the ball 
greasy and difficult to handle, and accurate 
passing was no easy m.ntter. 
THE COLO>(BO FOnWARDS. 
went off with fine dash and speedily had tlip 
visitors on tlie defensive. Their scrinmiHgirg 
was better than any form they have dis- 
played this season; they showed combined play, 
