Commonwealth Rugby Sevens 2022: Soori leads Kandy dominated pool

• Sri Lanka Men’s to play in Pool A comprising New Zealand, England, Samoa

By Shamseer Jaleel

Soori leads Mens outfit

Nilfer heads the Mens coaching unit

Former Isipathana and Kandy SC nippy scrum half Srinarth Sooriyabandara will lead the strong Sri Lankan Men›s outfit which consists of seven players from the champion, Kandy Sports Club.

Former Trinity winger, Diluksha Dange will make his debut for the national team at this sevens event in the UK.

Sri Lanka’s likely pool will comprise Srinarth Sooriyabandara (Capt), Tharinda Ratwatte, Nigel Ratwatte, Kavindu Perera, Danushka Dyan, Diluksha Dange, Buddhima Piyaratne (all from Kandy SC), Mithun Hapugoda (Havelocks Sc), Reza Rafaideen (CH), Chatura de Silva and Adeesha Weeratunge (both from Navy), Sudaraka Dikkumbura (Army SC) and Anjula Hettiarachchi (Air Force)

Sri Lanka’s Men’s are in Pool A and will have to see off defending champions, New Zealand, England and Samoa in group encounters. The Rugby Sevens at the Commonwealth Games will take place from 29 July to 31 July at Coventry Stadium in England with all group matches to be held on 29 and 30 July.

On the third day (31st) games will see the semi-finals, play-offs and medal matches taking place at the same venue.

Sri Lanka will represent with both Men’s and Women’s outfits at this event with the Men’s team represented at the games since rugby sevens inception at the 1998 Commonwealth Games in Malaysia. Meanwhile the Women’s outfit from Sri Lanka will make their debut at the 2022 games after missing out in the Gold Coast event during 2018.

In the history of Commonwealth Rugby Sevens from 1998, New Zealand have won Gold Medal in five events losing out only the Glasgow event to South Africa in the final. Meanwhile in the Women’s shorter version of the game was first introduced in Gold Coast during the 2018 games where the Ladies Kiwi outfit beat the Australian team to win the Gold Medal.

Men’s segment will see 16 teams locking horns in four groups of four each while the Women’s outfit will have two groups of four each. Nilfer Ibrahim will handle the Men’s while Saliya Kumara will be the Head Coach for the Women’s outfit on their debut at the Commonwealth Games.

 Birmingham Commonwealth Games 2022 – Rugby Sevens

Pools - Men’s

Pool A: New Zealand, England, Samoa, Sri Lanka

Pool B: South Africa, Scotland, Tonga, Malaysia

Pool C: Fiji, Canada, Wales, Zambia

Pool D: Australia, Kenya, Uganda, Jamaica

Pools -Women’s

Pool A: New Zealand, Canada, England, Sri Lanka

Pool B: Australia, Fiji, Scotland, South Africa