Gutsy Sri Lankan men’s outfit secure third place

Tuesday, 21 October 2025 04:06 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

By Shamseer Jaleel

The Sri Lankan men’s rugby sevens outfit produced a some outstanding running rugby to finish third at the second leg of the Asian Sevens Series, held at the Race Course ground in Colombo last evening.

Under the leadership of Kavindu Perera, the Kandy-flavoured outfit displayed resilience, teamwork, and passion despite having limited preparation ahead of the tournament.

The Kandy-flavoured outfit, featuring several promising young players, started the tournament in style, winning all three of their group matches. They defeated Usbekistan, Singapore, and China in convincing fashion, showing sharp pace and defensive commitment throughout.

Their performance earned them a semi-final clash against tournament giants Japan, one of Asia’s rugby powerhouses. In a fiercely contested encounter, Sri Lanka went down narrowly 12/15, though several questionable refereeing decisions and an early final whistle almost a minute short raised eyebrows among the local fans plus yellow card offence on Gayan Perera. During this two minutes Japanese crossed over two times to edge out the hosts.

Despite the disappointment, the Tuskers regrouped well for the third-place playoff. Facing China once again, they delivered another composed display to secure a 19/14 victory, sealing the bronze position on home soil.

Sri Lanka’s tries came through Soori, Dabare, and Dange, whose attacking flair and coordination thrilled the Colombo crowd against China. Their defensive work in the dying moments of the game also reflected the team’s determination to make a statement despite limited exposure.

The third-place finish marked a notable improvement from the first leg in China, where Sri Lanka finished fourth. The result also highlighted the growing depth and fighting spirit in the squad.

In the men’s final, Hong Kong China edged Japan 12/7 to claim both the leg and the overall series title. Meanwhile, in the women’s competition, Japan beat China 29/0 to win the Colombo leg and the overall championship as well.

Women’s

11th place: Sri Lanka beat Indonesia 38/10

9th place: Malaysia beat Philippines 29/12

7th place: Singapore beat UAE 14/12

5th place: Kazakhstan beat India 38/12

Semi-finals: Japan beat Hong Kong China 31/0, China beat Thailand 19/17

3rd place: Thailand beat Hong Kong China 10/5

Final: Japan beat China 29/0

Men’s

11th position: South Korea beat Taipei 27/5

9th position: Malaysia beat Uzbekistan 31/5

7th position: Singapore beat Philippines 22/12

5th position: Thailand beat UAE 27/5

Semi-finals: Hong Kong China beat China 29/12, Japan beat Sri Lanka 15/12

3rd place: Sri Lanka beat China 19/14

Final: Hong Kong China beat Japan 12/7