Sri Lanka, Nov. 9 -- In a lightning move the newly elected administration of Sri Lanka Rugby (SLR) has gone against tradition and possible fair play and converted the Premier League, giving it a knockout blow that has agitated the country's most soughtafter entity, Kandy Sports Club.

Under the new stance of SLR, the team that finishes on top will not be given the league title and will have to play against the second-placed team in a playoff for the prize.

Kandy SC, which has been the undisputed top-placed finisher for nearly three decades, has fired its guns on SLR, accusing it of dictatorship without taking into account the views of all nine participating clubs in the decision-making process. With just four days to go before kickoff,...