Ranjan to lead Sri Lanka at Asian Sevens in Hong Kong

Wednesday, 31 August 2016 00:20 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

By Shamseer Jaleel reporting from Hong Kong

Former Peterite, Havies and now signed up with the triple champions Kandy Sports Club, DhanushkaRanjan will lead Sri Lanka in his debut tour as the skipper of the Sri Lanka rugby outfit at the Asian Sevens Series opener which will take place in Causeway Bay in Hong Kong on 2 and 3 September.

The second leg will take place in South Korea later this month and the last is being hosted by the Sri Lanka Rugby Football Union (SLRFU) in mid-October in Colombo.

National Selectors headed by Michael Jayasekera and his team had shown a lot of confidence by picking a few youngsters who did yeoman service for the country at the recently concluded Asian Under 20 Sevens in Malaysia and Hong Kong.

Under 20 national skipper, Kevin Dixon and his deputy Omalka Gunaratne will make their debut at the senior sevens team on this tour. Meanwhile two Trinity rugby “lion” winners, Tharinda Ratwatte and Shashan Mohamed too will represent the Sri Lanka senior sevens outfit on their debut tour.

The team will leave the country tonight.

Seniors SrinarthSooriyabandara, SudharshanMuthuthanthri, Gayan Weeraratne, ShehanPathirana, KanchanaRamanayake and FazilMarija will miss out on the tour due to their injuries.

Touring squad: Jason Dissanayake, DhanushkaRanjan, Dhanushka Dayan (all from Kandy SC), Dulaj Perera, Hirantha Perera, Kevin Dixon (all from Havies), Kavindu Perera, Tharinda Ratwatte, Sashan Mohamed (CR & FC), DinushaChathuranga, SaliyaHandapangoda, Omalka Gunarathne (all from Navy)

Head Coach – MattTurner (England)

Stand by: Rehan Silva (CR&FC), Nishon Perera (Havelocks SC), Reza Rafaideen (Police SC)