By Shamseer Jaleel 

The Sri Lankan rugby Sevens team will feel the pinch at the Asian Sevens series, which will kick off at Causeway Bay in Hong Kong on 2 September, as the majority of its senior players are nursing injuries. 

Already Fazil Marija, Nigel Ratwatte, Shehan Pathirana, Anuruda Wilwara, Gayan Weeraratne, Srinarth Sooriyabandara (all from Kandy) and Sudharshan Muthuthanthri (Havelocks) have been ruled out of the first leg due to injuries. 

Marija, the most experienced of them, will miss out on the first and second leg due to a spinal injury but Sooriyabandara and Muthuthanthri are likely to make a comeback in South Korea during the second leg. Sooriyabandara was tipped to lead the outfit in Hong Kong but suffered an injury two days ago. 

Due to the injuries, National Selection Committee Head Michael Jayasekera and his team have named five youth players, who excelled at the recently concluded Asian Rugby Sevens in Hong Kong two weeks ago, to the team. Currently, 19 players are under the watchful eyes of Head Coach Matt Turner. The final touring squad of 12 players will be named early next week. 

Training squad 

Jason Dissanayake, Dhanushka Ranjan, Dhanushka Dayan, Vishwamithra Jayasinghe, Thilina Wijesinghe (Kandy), Dulaj Perera, Hirantha Perera, Kevin Dixon, Nishon Perera (Havelock’s), Kavindu Perera, Tharinda Ratwatte, Sashan Mohamed, Rehan Silva (CR&FC), Chamara Dabare & Reza Rafaideen (Police), Dinusha Chathuranga, Saliya Handapangoda, Buddima Piyarathne and Omalka Gunarathne (Navy) 

Three changes for Taipei leg

By Shamseer Jaleel

The Sri Lanka Under 18 rugby outfit will have three changes for the Asian Schools Rugby Sevens, Taipei leg on 27 and 28 August. The team led by Thomian, Naveen Heenakankanmge left for Taipei this morning.

Three players who took part in the first leg in Hong Kong Sumudhu Rankothge (Isipathana College), Diyath Fernando (St. Peter’s) and Christian de Lile (S. Thomas’) will be replaced by Theekshana Dassanayaka (St. Peter’s), Gemunu Chethiya (St. Joseph’s) and Janindhu Dishan (Royal).

Six teams are expected to take part in the second leg – Sri Lanka, Singapore, Philippines, China, UAE and hosts Taipei who will battle each other in a round robin format. The teams finishing in the top four will lock horns against each other in the Cup semi-finals.

Touring squad: Naveen Henakankanamage (captain, S. Thomas’), Theekshana Dassanayaka (St. Peter’s), Chamod Fernando (Isipathana), Harith Bandara (Isipathana), Avishka Shiek (Trinity), Diluksha Dange (Trinity), Anuk Boyagoda (Trinity), Dinuk Amerasinghe (St. Anthony’s), Vinul Fernando (St. Joseph’s), Chathura Seneviratne (St. Joseph’s), Gemunu Chethiya (St. Joseph’s) and Janindhu Dilshan (Royal).

Head Coach: Mohamed Mushtaq

SLRFU High Performance Director: Inthi Marikar

Team Manager: K.S.P. Karunaratne