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Thursday Dec 12, 2024
Friday, 4 August 2017 00:00 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}
By Shamseer Jaleel
The Sri Lanka youth rugby outfit led by Naveen Heenakankanmge will defend their Asian Youth Rugby Sevens title which they won last year under Kevin Dixon.
This year’s tournament will be worked off today and tomorrow at the Kings Park Rugby Grounds in Kowloon, Hong Kong. Hosts Hong Kong will be the major threat to Sri Lanka at this event. Hong Kong, who won the tournament in 2014 and 2015, dropped down to number three last year behind South Korea.
Sri Lanka, who touched down in Hong Kong three days ago, got three good training sessions and are adjusting to the cooler climate in Hong Kong.
Speaking to Daily FT, Sri Lanka Head Coach Sudath Sampath said: “We are in good touch and had time to prepare ourselves in Hong Kong after our arrival. We have a well balanced side with Dilshan having experience playing at the Under-20 level in Asia. Our youngsters really deserve their national jersey and have worked hard to get here. I am sure we will end up on top. We want to take things game by game and move forward to the semifinal stage and work from there. As we are the defending champions, all teams will throw their best outfit against us but our boys under Naveen are ready for the challenge.”
Squad
Adeesha Weeratunge, Chamod Fernando, Raidu Padmashanka (all from Isipathana), Dinuk Amarasinghe (St. Anthony’s Katugastota), Avishka Lee (Wesley), Naveen Heenakankanmge (Captain S. Thomas’), Theekshana Dassanayake (St. Peter’s), Wajid Fawmy, Sandesh Jayawickrema, Suranga Bandara (all from Police SC), Lahiru Herath and Vice Captain Supun Dilshan (both from Navy SC)
Coach - Sudath Sampath
Men’s
Pool A - Sri Lanka, Malaysia, Taipei, China and the Philippines
Pool B - South Korea, Hong Kong, Thailand, Singapore and Uzbekistan
Women’s
India, Singapore, Uzbekistan, Malaysia, China, Hong Kong and Thailand
Today Sri Lankan time
August 5
Sri Lanka vs. Taipei 8.58 a.m.
