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75-459: The first league competition commenced in 1950. when 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 . The inaugural winner of

150-434: 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. 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

225-464: A Coronation Series in 1937. John Player & Sons issued more than 200 sets of cards and some were reprinted in the 1990s. In sports, Player's released several cards series, mostly association football collections . One of them was the "Cup Winners" series, featuring FA Cup winning teams and the illustrated "Hints on association football" in 1934, where some football movements (kicks, passes, defensive tactics, etc.) were shown. Player's also released

300-562: A competition between the mercantile executives in Colombo and planters in the hill country. 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. Due to unforeseen circumstances

375-561: A five-year sponsorship deal with the SLRFU . In the same year the competition was expanded to nine teams with the inclusion of a team from Nawalapitiya , the Up Country Lions . The competition began in June and at the end of the first round, the top four teams were Havelock SC, Navy SC, Kandy SC and newcomers Up-Country Lions SC, who then competed for the league title. The rest of the teams competed in

450-713: A number of Canadian drivers, including 1995 Indianapolis 500 and IndyCar champion Jacques Villeneuve , whose Forsythe-Green Racing team carried a Player's Ltd livery. The team would later carry on in CART as Player's Forsythe Racing , which after the Tobacco Act was struck down as violating the Charter of Rights , was able to use Player's branding. The team was competitive and featured Canadian drivers Greg Moore , Patrick Carpentier , Alex Tagliani , and in 2003, Paul Tracy . Tracy would win

525-405: A serious competitive challenge from "Buck" Duke 's American Tobacco Company , a defensive merger of thirteen British tobacco manufacturers saw Player's merged into the newly created Imperial Tobacco Company of Great Britain & Ireland . The largest constituent of Imperial Tobacco, and major driver of the amalgamation, was W. D. & H. O. Wills and the new company was run for eight years from

600-596: A small tobacco factory in Craigshill , Livingston, West Lothian . This business expanded and earned Wright a comfortable fortune. John Player bought the business in 1877. He had the Castle Tobacco Factories built in Radford, Nottingham , just west of the city centre. He had three factories built, but initially only one was used to process and pack tobacco. The other two blocks were rented out to lace manufacturers until

675-499: A smoking sailor in a navy-cut cap. Player's Medium Navy Cut was the most popular by far of the three Navy Cut brands (there was also Mild and Gold Leaf, mild being today's rich flavour). In January 1937, Player's sold nearly 3.5 million cigarettes (which included 1.34 million in London). The popularity of the brand was mostly amongst the middle class and in the South of England. It was smoked in

750-555: A suite of offices located in the Wills' branch premises until a new Imperial Tobacco head office was built in Bedminster , Bristol . As a constituent part of Imperial Tobacco, Player's was tightly controlled from Bedminster but as a manufacturer the branch retained its own identity, producing distinctive cigarette brands such as Navy Cut , No. 9, John Player Special, and Gold Leaf; loose tobacco brands such as No Name; and its distinctive logo of

825-587: 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. John Player %26 Sons John Player & Sons , most often known simply as Player's , was a tobacco and cigarette manufacturer based in Nottingham, England. In 1901 the company merged with twelve other companies to become a branch of the Imperial Tobacco Company of Great Britain and Ireland. The company pioneered

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900-560: Is eclipsed by larger service sector employers in the city, such as Experian and Queen's Medical Centre and the University of Nottingham . As of 2020, the Player's Navy Cut , Players and John Player Special (JPS) brands are manufactured by Imperial Brands in the UK, whereas John Player Gold Leaf is manufactured by British American Tobacco for sale in markets external to the UK, and ranks as one of

975-485: Is typically portioned into 12.5, 25, and 50-gram bags. Rolling tobacco is available in the following varieties: In Ireland, Imperial Brands trade as John Player. The following John Player products are on the market in Ireland. In Sri Lanka, Player's is manufactured by Ceylon Tobacco Company and is available in the following varieties. John Player's brands are well known in motor racing from their long association with

1050-846: The Lotus Formula One team, the Forsythe Racing Champ Car team, and Norton motorcycle racing team. Ford introduced the John Player Special limited edition Capri, (known as the JPS) in March 1975. Available only in black or white, the JPS featured yards of gold pinstriping to mimic the Formula 1 livery, gold-coloured wheels, and a bespoke upgraded interior of beige cloth and carpet trimmed with black. John Player's sponsorship of Team Lotus began with

1125-784: The Lotus 49 in Gold Leaf colours in the 1968 Tasman Series . It continued with the Lotus 49 and Lotus 72 in Formula One, changed to the black and gold John Player Special colours in 1972 , and ended in 1986 with the Lotus 98T , as the team switched to the Camel -sponsored yellow livery the following season. In Australia, JPS Team BMW competed in the Australian Touring Car Championship between 1981 and 1987 , with Jim Richards winning

1200-551: The Shanghai Sevens on 4–7 September. During the season the previously undefeated Kandy SC were beaten 29-25 by Navy SC and the title ended up coming down to the last game of the season, where Kandy SC defeated Havelock SC and relegated Navy SC to second place. The 2011 'Plate' champion was Air Force SC. In 2012 the competition was renamed the Dialog League after Dialog Axiata , a national telecommunications company, entered into

1275-700: The Sri Lanka Rugby Football Union . The SRFU 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. The inaugural winner of the John Player Rugby Championship was Police SC captained by Sunil Sahabandu, who also clinched the rugby triple by also winning the Rugby Sevens title and the Clifford Cup. Police SC subsequently retained

1350-644: The United Services . 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. The cup was eventually won by Low Country, 14–3, against United Services. The following year Ceylonese R & FC defeated United Services, 16–8, before losing to

1425-596: The 1980s, Norton Motorcycles was revived and in 1988 John Player resumed racing sponsorship. The racing succeeded again and in 1990–91 Norton produced a road-going version of its RCW588 racer, the Norton F1 . In 1991 Norton again commercially declined and John Player withdrew sponsorship for a second time. The company also sponsored an influential series of celebrity lectures at the National Film Theatre between 1968 and 1973. Well over 100 international film stars took

1500-528: The 2013/14 season was Police SC . In 2014/15 the Up Country Lions withdrew from the league after only competing for two years, with the majority of their players signing with Ceylonese R&FC . The 2014/15 season's format was also changed, previously in the second round the top six played in the cup category and bottom four teams played in the plate. Instead for the 2014/15 season all the nine teams played both home and away matches in round one and two with

1575-586: The 20th century, when it was one of the Big Three employers associated with Nottingham, along with Boots the Chemists and the Raleigh Bicycle Company . Player's workforce peaked in the 1960s: subsequently the company's fortunes declined as awareness of the health effects of tobacco increased, and during the 1980s five of the firm's Nottingham factories closed with the loss of 3,000 jobs. Its current workforce

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1650-483: The Bowl and were joined by two sides from the 'B' Division (Rudra Rajasingham Memorial Trophy). The Plate final was contested between Air Force SC and Old Zahirians, with Air Force being successful. In 2008 the competition was scaled back to eight teams, being Kandy SC, Havelocks SC, CH & FC, CR & FC, Police SC, Army SC, Air Force and Old Zahirians. The league champions once again were Kandy SC, with Air Force SC securing

1725-731: The Caltex League, after finishing third in the 'B' division in 2000, the same year as the club won the Lahore International Ten-A-side Rugby Tournament. Kandy SC regained the league title, under the leadership of Nalaka Weerakkody. The club dominated the league for the next ten years securing titles under Pradeep Basnayake (2002), Sajith Mallikarachchi (2003), Radhika Hettiarachchi (2004), Sanjeewa Jayasinghe (2005), Sajith Mallikarachchi (2006), Jeewa Galgamuwa (2007), Sean Wijesinghe (2008), Pradeep Liyanage (2009), Fazil Marija (2010) and Saliya Kumara (2011). In 2005

1800-669: The Ceylonese Rugby and Football Club, their fifteenth win and the first since 2006. In 1911 Lady Clifford consented 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. The competition was suspended until 1926 due to World War I and during that time

1875-467: 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. 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. On that occasion both Ceylonese R & FC and Colombo H and FC boycotted

1950-662: The Colombo H&;FC, led by St. John Davies, won the league for the first time against a combined Dimbula/Dickoya team, skippered by Malcolm Wright. In 1958 Ceylonese R&FC, captained by Ashy Cader, won the title, beating Dickoya MCC. In 1959 Ceylonese R&FC, captained by Ago Paiva, shared the league title with Dimbula A&CC, led by Ken McPherson. The following year Colombo H&FC, skippered by Jeremy Lloyd, were triumphant defeating Dimbulla A&CC. In 1961 five 'affiliated' rugby clubs, Police SC , Army , University, Air Force and Navy from Division 'B' were invited to join

2025-547: The John Player League title for the following four years, under the leadership of Sunil Sahabandu (1985), H. Premasiri (1986), Muruga Jayaratne (1987), Ajantha Samarakoon (1988) and M. H. Marso (1989). In 1990 Police SC withdrew from competition when the second civil war broke out, with Colombo Hockey & Football Club, led by Imran Salley, clinching the rugby triple by winning the John Player League, Clifford Cup and Premadasa Trophy that year. In 1991 Police SC returned to

2100-757: The Navy SC withdrew midway through the competition, due to their members military commitments. The Caltex league competition in 2006 was subsequently expanded to a twelve team competition with the introduction of Dimbula/Dickoya from the Central Province, Jawatte Lions from the Western Province and the Galle RFC from the Southern Province. The tournament was split into two grades, with six teams, Kandy SC, Havelock SC, Army SC, CH & FC, CR & FC battling out at

2175-461: The Plate. Navy SC rejoined the competition in 2009 with the tournament committee deciding to have an eighth place play-off between the Navy SC and the bottom-seeded Old Zahirians SC. The Old Zahirians Sporting Club refused to participate in the play-off game on 7 May and were forced to leave the competition. The Plate champions for 2009 were Police SC. Kandy Sports Club were successful in 2010, clinching

2250-610: The UK: They also sell a lower-cost product marketed under the JPS Players Brand: Also the following rolling tobacco in 30g and 50g pouches: In Canada, Player's is manufactured by Imperial Tobacco Canada and is available in the following varieties, in both regular and king size: Besides cigarettes, John Player & Sons also markets a line of rolling tobacco in Canada, the UK, and several European countries. The rolling tobacco

2325-399: The advertising with trading (cigarette) cards. As a branch, Player's continued this practice (see below), most notably with a series devoted to the association football in the 1930s. Nowadays the brands "Player" and "John Player Special" are owned and marketed by Imperial Brands and, especially in markets external to the UK, by British American Tobacco . In March 1820, William Wright set up

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2400-630: The best selling and most popular tobacco products in Pakistan. It is also marketed in Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Malaysia, and Arab States of the Persian Gulf . In South Asia, it is one of the biggest brands in the High category brand list. The JPS brand has also been re-positioned in the last several years and is now a UK mid-price cigarette brand. As of 2020, John Player Special (JPS) sell the following cigarettes in

2475-462: The business had expanded enough to use the additional space. John Player died in December 1884 and for the next nine years the business was run by a small group of family friends until his sons, William Goodacre Player and John Dane Player, took over management of the firm in 1893. The business became a private limited company in 1895, with an issued share capital of £200,000. In 1901, in response to

2550-465: The cavernous No. 1 Factory which occupied the whole area between Radford Boulevard and Alfreton Road, bordered by Player Street and Beckenham Road, were gradually run down. The No. 2 Factory, facing onto Radford Boulevard with its distinctive clock (now plinthed in the retail park on the site) and the No. 3 factory (which faced onto Churchfield lane) with its rooftop 'John Player & Sons' sign, were demolished in

2625-752: The championship in 2003, just as a new Tobacco Act ban took full effect for auto racing in October 2003. The team would use a "GOODBYE, CANADA" theme for Tracy and Carpentier's final races and not have explicit Player's branding. John Player began sponsoring Norton motorcycle racing in November 1971. The racing was successful and Norton produced a version of the Norton Commando in John Player colours to exploit it. However, Norton's NVT parent company commercially declined and John Player withdrew sponsorship in 1974. In

2700-454: 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

2775-529: The competition was the Havelock Sports Club , led by Ian Labrooy, completing an undefeated season by defeating Dimbula A & CC, 13-0. Havelock SC retained the league title the following year again maintaining an unbeaten record during the season. In 1952 Ceylonese R&FC, captained by Mahes Rodrigo (who went on to become a dual international in rugby and cricket) won the league title. The following year Dimbula A&CC, captained by Lyn Simpson, became

2850-556: The competition. 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. On that occasion the cup was won by Ceylonese Rugby & Football Club who defeated Havelock SC, 37–5. In 1998 the SLRFU decided to suspend the competition due to security concerns relating to

2925-759: The cup winners, Up Country, 11–8. The competition then continued until 1938, when it was disrupted by the advent of the Second World War . 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 . The Havelock Sports Club won

3000-503: The defending champions, Kandy SC, in the last match of the season. Updated to the 2021/2022 season: Clifford Cup The Clifford Cup is the most prestigious club rugby knockout tournament in Sri Lanka , and arguably the oldest rugby tournament in Asia. The Clifford Cup commenced in 1911 and has been played continuously since 1950, having completed 79 seasons. The tournament began as

3075-411: The first UK tobacco companies to include sets of general interest cards in their packs of cigarettes. One of the first sets, produced in 1893, was Castles and Abbeys. These cards were generally produced in sets of 50 and have since become highly collectable. Other sets produced include Street Cries (cries of street vendors) in 1913 and 1916; Footballers (1926); Civil Aircraft (1935); Motor Cars (1936) and

Sri Lanka Rugby Championship - Misplaced Pages Continue

3150-465: The first club from Up-Country to win the league by defeating the previous years title holders, Ceylonese R&FC, 6-0. The Kandy Sporting Club made their first appearance in a Clifford Cup final in 1954, where they lost 21-5 against Ceylonese R&FC. Ceylonese R&FC went on to win the title in the next two successive years (1955–56) The title was shared for the first time in 1959 when Dimbula and Ceylonese R & FC competed in an 11-all draw. In 1957

3225-424: The inaugural cup for that year, ending an undefeated season by the club by defeating Dimbula A & CC, 13–0. 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. The Kandy Sporting Club made their first appearance in

3300-460: The late 1980s. The iron railings and gates onto Radford Boulevard from the present retail park are the ones that surrounded No. 2 Factory – the large gates (present vehicle access) were the entrance to the factory yard between No. 2 and No. 3 factories and the smaller gates were the pedestrian entrances to No. 2 factory itself. Player's still trades, but with a much-reduced workforce (down to about 700 employees due to increased efficiency) compared to

3375-414: The league championship was won by Kandy SC, following an undefeated season. Ceylonese R&FC, captained by Champika Nishantha, were successful in 1998, defeating defending champions Kandy SC 21-13 in the deciding game. In 1999 Kandy SC were victorious winning the triple crown, with the runners-up to the league title being Colombo H&FC. Between 2000 and 2011 the competition was sponsored by Caltex and

3450-410: The league competition, that year the title was again won by Colombo H&FC. In 1984 Police SC, captained by Upali Vidanage, clinched the 'A' Division League title, going on to win for a further five successive years until 1989. In 1985 the rugby league competition was renamed the John Player "Gold Leaf" Rugby Championships, following a sponsorship deal with British Tobacco Company, John Player , and

3525-520: The league ladder, scored an overall 73 tries to Navy's 62. Political influence was affecting the game around at this time where former president Mahinda Rajapaksa 's sons were putting their political power to turn the game in to their hands. In 2015/16 the league commenced in November 2015 and was contested by eight teams. At the end of the season, in February 2016, Kandy SC were undefeated and clear winners by two games from second placed Havelock SC, securing

3600-546: The league title for the 17th time. 2016/17 league commenced with 8 teams, with Kandy SC taking the title again, winning 12 games out of 14 in the season. Following a dispute with Sri Lanka Rugby, Dialog Axiata pulled its sponsorship of the Club Rugby League Championship a few days before the start of the 2022 season. With no club rugby having been played since March 2020, the Inter-Club Rugby League

3675-410: The league title. The 1972 final was played between Police SC, captained by Anton Benedict, and Colombo H&FC, led by Y. C. Chang, with the eventual league title holders Police SC winning 9–6. In 1973 Army SC, captained by S. P. de Silva, for the first time since they entered the competition eleven years earlier reached the final and their opponents were Police SC, skippered by Nizam Hajireen. It

3750-467: The league, under the captaincy of Hemantha Yatawara, and secured the rugby double by winning the John Player League and Clifford Cup. In 1992 CH and FC, led by Asitha Boteju, were successful clinching the rugby triple by winning the League Championship, Rugby Sevens and Premadasa Trophy. In 1993 CH and FC, this time captained by Hisham Abdeen, repeated their previous years domination by again securing

3825-439: The north but other brands were locally more popular. Production continued to grow until at its peak in the late 1950s, Player's was employing 11,000 workers (compared to 5,000 in 1926) and producing 15 brands of pipe tobacco and 11 brands of cigarettes. In the UK in 1968, in response to an increase in tobacco duty in the budget , Player's launched a new, cheaper brand, "Player's No.10". Priced at 3 s 2 d (16 p ) for 20, it

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3900-537: 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. 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. In 2019

3975-505: 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. 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

4050-475: The plate tournament. Havelock Sports Club were the eventual 2012 champions, breaking Kandy's dominance of the league, by defeating them 50–9. It was Havelocks' first league title in thirty-one years. Army SC were successful in the Plate final defeating Police SC 21–19. The following year a team from Hambantota , the Hambantota Sharks , was added to form a ten team competition. The timing of

4125-455: The reigning cup holders, Kandy SC withdrew from the competition after being refused permission to play at their home ground, Pallekele International Cricket Stadium . In 2020 and 2021 the tournament was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic . Due to 2022 Sri Lankan political crisis the league competition was shortened with each team, playing each other only once and the Clifford Cup competition

4200-415: The rugby double, by winning both the Caltex League championship and the Clifford Cup, with Ceylonese R&FC coming second and Police SC securing the Plate championship over Havelock SC. In 2011 the Caltex League commenced in the 1st week of June, a week after Sri Lanka's Asian Five Nation 's match against Japan , with the season ending before September, in order for the national sevens team to compete in

4275-528: The rugby double, winning the League and Clifford Cup. The next year Havelock SC, captained by Jeff de Jong, retained the league title. In 1978, the centenary year of rugby in Sri Lanka, Havelock SC, led by Anton Benedict, achieved the first ever rugby triple, securing the league title, the sevens and the knockout tournament. In 1979 Police SC won its first Division 'A' league title, led by Charles Wijewardana, retaining

4350-437: The rugby triple. In 1994 Kandy SC, under the leadership of Indrajith Bandranayake, secured their first league championship and in 1995 the club won the rugby triple, the John Player Gold Leaf Trophy, Clifford Cup and President's Trophy. In 1996 the competition was renamed the Carlsberg Rugby League, with the inaugural winner being the Ceylonese R & FC , who led by Viraj Prasantha were unbeaten all season. The following year

4425-421: The scheduled date was put off by a week and the first Lady Clifford Cup match (as it was originally called) was played on 2 September 1911, with the United Services team defeating All Ceylon 25 points to 0. 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

4500-407: The season was amended with it now running from November 2013 and concluding in January 2014, as such there was no winner for 2013. The winner of the 2013/14 Dialog rugby league was Navy SC , who defeated Havelock SC in the final game of the season, 20–13, capping off an undefeated season. It was the first time in the club's history that they have won the league trophy. The winner of the Plate for

4575-425: The series in 1985 and 1987. In 1981, BMW released a limited-edition road version of its 323i touring car in JPS colours to the Australian market and another in 1984. Imperial Tobacco Canada 's Player's brands also sponsored Canadian auto racing for decades. After a blanket tobacco advertising ban was instituted in the Canadian Tobacco Act in 1988, Imperial created a new corporation, Player's Racing Ltd. , that

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4650-429: The sides included Galle RFC, Dimbula/Dickoya, Jawatte Lions, Peterson SC, Kandy Youth, Kurunegala and Combined Universities. The first-round in 2007 was played from 18 May to 1 July and the second-round from 6 July to 5 August. The top six teams in the A1 first-round competed in the second-round for the Cup, while the last two sides in A1 competed in the Plate with the top six of A2. The remaining four teams in A2 played for

4725-423: The stage to introduce screenings and discuss their career. The series was revived at the end of the 1970s as the Guardian Lectures. In the 1970s Player's operated a steamboat, Hero , for promotional purposes. Player's sponsored the Canadian Open tennis championship in the 1980s. From 1969 to 1987 John Player sponsored the John Player Sunday League for English county cricket clubs. Player's were one of

4800-425: The title the following year, under the captaincy of Nimal Lewke. Havelock SC, led by Angelo Wickremeratne, won the title in 1981, securing the rugby triple by securing the inter club sevens and club knock out competition. In 1982 Colombo H&FC, led by N. H. Karunasena, successfully secured the league title for the first time in twenty years. As a result of the outbreak of civil war in 1983, Police SC withdrew from

4875-478: The top points scoring team clinching the league title. In January 2015 both the Hambantota Sharks and the Colombo H&FC withdrew from the league competition before the second round commenced, although Colombo H&FC subsequently rejoined, resulting in the second round being contested between the eight remaining teams. The 2014/15 champion was Kandy SC , who despite losing their last match against second placed Navy SC, 12–11, and ending with equal points on

4950-450: The top with the remaining six other teams, Old Zahirians, Police, Air Force in the next tier. In 2007 a further three teams were added to the Caltex 'A' Division League Rugby Championship: Peterson SC, Kandy Youth, Kurunegala and Combined Universities increasing the number of sides from 12 teams to 16. The eight sides in A1 were Kandy SC, Ceylonese R&FC, Colombo H&FC, Havelock SC, Army, Air Force, Police and Old Zahirians, whilst in A2

5025-472: 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 also won 14 times including a tie with Police SC, Police SC eight times with ties against Havelock SC and Army SC, Colombo H & FC seven times, Dimbula A & CC twice including

5100-422: 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 1971, led by captain and coach Y. C. Chang, Colombo H&FC secured

5175-514: Was a close match in the final and ended in a 19-all draw with both teams declared as joint champions. In 1974, the Havelock SC, under Desmond Harridge, secured the title defeating Ceylonese R&FC 16–4. The following year Army SC and Air Force SC justified their being elevated to the Division 'A' league by competing in the final, with Army SC, under the leadership of Saliya Udugama Chandra, emerging triumphant defeating Air Force SC 4–3. In 1976, led by Thajone Savanghan, Havelock SC bagged

5250-452: Was called the Caltex Rugby League . The inaugural Caltex Rugby League champions were Colombo H&FC, captained by Nazim Mohammed, winning 12 out of 14 matches, including a 33-11 victory over the previous league champions Kandy SC, only losing one game and drawing one. This was the last time Colombo H&FC were successful in winning the premiership. The runners-up that year were Ceylonese R&FC. In 2001 Old Zahirians SC were promoted to

5325-409: Was cancelled for a third year running. In 2023 the tournament returned after a three year hiatus. The competition however was only contested by six teams, with Kandy SC withdrawing on the basis that none of their games would be played on their home ground, and Colombo Hockey and Football Club advising that they would not be able to field a team, due to player injuries and migration. The cup was won by

5400-461: Was relaunched without a sponsor in January 2022. A new sponsorship deal with Nippon Paint Lanka was announced six weeks into the season. Kandy SC were declared the champions for 2022, although the competition was halted due to the 2022 Sri Lankan political crisis with two matches remaining in the season. In 2024 Ceylonese R&FC secured the championship title for the first time in 26 years, by defeating

5475-525: Was strictly an auto racing promotion company. This took advantage of an exemption in the Act that allowed tobacco companies to sponsor "cultural events" using the company's proper name instead of a brand name. Player's Ltd. advertising looked nearly identical to Player's cigarette packs, and given that it was one of the few legal outlets for advertising, the company was extensively promoted both during race weekends and at other sporting events. Player's Racing promoted

5550-643: Was the cheapest cigarette on the British market. A new factory (the 'Horizon' factory) was opened in the early 1970s on Nottingham's industrial outskirts, with better road access and more effective floor space, next to the headquarters of Boots the Chemists . On 15 April 2014, Imperial Tobacco announced that the Horizon factory would close in early 2016, bringing an end to cigarette and tobacco manufacture in Nottingham after over 130 years. The old factories in Radford, especially

5625-523: Was transferred from Ceylon following the outbreak of World War I . The competition was suspended until 1926 due to the war . In 1925 Sir Hugh Clifford returned to Ceylon as the Governor of Ceylon 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

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