Tuskers eye Top Three finish at Asia Rugby Championship 2019

Monday, 27 May 2019 00:36 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

From left: Sri Lanka Rugby Vice-Captain Jason Melder (3rd from left) SLR Vice President Nazeem Mohamed, Sri Lanka Rugby skipper Omalka Gunaratne, Dialog Axiata Brand and Media Senior General Manager Harsha Samaranayake, Minister of Telecommunication, Foreign Employment and Sports Harin Fernando and SLR Deputy President Rizly Iliyaz at a pre-departure dinner organised by Sri Lanka Rugby

Sri Lanka Tuskers will vie for top honours at the first leg of the Asia Rugby Championship Division I tourney, which will kick off on 29 May at the iconic Taipei Municipal Stadium, Song Shan District, Taipei.

Sri Lanka Tuskers will be under the captaincy of 23-year-old former Isipathana College No. 8 and skipper Omalka Gunaratne, who, in a short period, has proven to be a versatile player, with both weight and speed.

In the Division I tourney, Sri Lanka will scrum down with Philippines in the opening game at 2.30 p.m., and then on 30 May will go on to play Chinese Taipei (2.30 p.m.) and Singapore (4.30 p.m.).

The second leg of the tourney will be played in Seoul, South Korea, while the final leg of the tournament will be battled out in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

Sri Lanka last won the championship in 2015, beating Kazakhstan (35-14), Philippines (27-14) and Singapore (27-14), to rise in the Asian rugby rankings to number four. In the 2016 and 2017, the Tuskers emerged runners up and in 2018 did not participate in the Asia Rugby Championships.

Sri Lanka Rugby squad for Asian Five Nations Division I

Omalka Gunaratne (Captain), Jason Melder (Vice-Captain), Kavindu Perera (Vice-Captain), Roshan Weerarathne, Sajith Saranga, Prasad Madushanka, Thilina Wijesinghe, Umesh Madushan, Nivanka Prasad, Mithun Hapugoda, Theekshana Dasanayake, Sachith Silva, Buddima Piyaratne, Lasindu Ishan,

Gihan Perera, Uchitha Jayasooriya, Charles Praveen, Thilina Bandara, Prabatha Kumara, Samuel Maduwantha, Reeza Rafaideen, Dinuk Amarasinghe, Sudaraka Dikkumbura, Kasun De Silva,

Yakoob Ali and Ashan Bandara.