Sri Lanka determined to host rugby match<\/p>\n
COLOMBO (AFP): Sri Lanka has sought the help of its rugby
\nworld cup rival Singapore following claims by match organizers
\nthat Colombo was unsafe for their match, officials here said
\nyesterday.<\/p>\n
Sri Lankan Foreign Minister Lakshman Kadirgamar wrote his
\nSingapore counterpart Shunmugam Jayakumar on Saturday seeking his
\nsupport to pressure the Dublin-based World Cup organizers to go
\nahead with the match in Colombo.<\/p>\n
\"I can give you an assurance that the government of Sri Lanka
\nwill take every possible measure to ensure that the match is
\nplayed under conditions which guarantee the safety of players,\"
\nKadirgamar told Jayakumar in the letter.<\/p>\n
The World Cup organizers had told Sri Lanka's Rugby Football
\nFederation that Colombo was unsafe and therefore to shift the
\nvenue either to Singapore or another country.<\/p>\n
Last year, Australia and the West Indies boycotted their
\ncricket World Cup opening matches scheduled in Colombo citing
\nsecurity concerns following a Tamil rebel bombing that killed 91
\nand wounded 1,400 at the Central Bank building.<\/p>\n
However, India, Pakistan and Zimbabwe went ahead with their
\ncricket matches in Colombo.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, South African star Joel Stransky got the better of
\nformer England ace Rob Andrew in a goalkicking shoot-out as
\nLeicester beat Newcastle 18-8 to reach the Pilkington Cup semi-
\nfinal on Saturday.<\/p>\n
Stransky, South Africa's 1995 World Cup winner, struck six
\npenalties from seven attempts while player-coach Andrew, one of
\n12 internationals in the Newcastle line-up, fluffed three drop
\ngoal attempts and succeeded with just one of his three place goal
\nattempts.<\/p>\n
The Falcons did manage to score the only try of the game,
\nWestern Samoan captain Pat Lam marking his home debut with the
\ntouchdown.<\/p>\n
But it arrived with just three minutes left and was little
\nmore than consolation for the ambitious second division club.<\/p>\n
Newcastle, without the cup-tied Va'aiga Tuigamala who arrived
\nat the club from rugby league outfit Wigan earlier in the week,
\nwere never allowed to get into their stride against a water-tight
\nTigers defense.<\/p>",
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