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By Dinesh Weerawansa

Sri Lanka will soon obtain the services of a top foreign coach to handle the national team, President of the Sri Lanka Rugby Football Union, Comdr.

Harsha Mayadunne said yesterday. In an exclusive interview with the 'Daily News' the Sri Lanka rugby chief said they are in the process of picking a foreign coach.

"We are looking for a top experienced coach to handle the Sri Lanka national team in an advisory capacity and also to take over the Development squad. We are making preliminary selections and should be able to get down a qualified foreign coach by next year," Mayadunne said yesterday.

The SLRFU President said they have appointed a four-member committee, comprising Nalin De Silva (SLRFU Secretary), Iswarn Omar, Michael Jayasekera and Rohan Abeykoon to look into the possibility of obtaining a top international coach. "They have looked into the preliminary selections and have shortlisted about ten experienced and qualified international rugby coaches from New Zealand, England, Australia, Fiji and some European countries," Cmdr. Mayadunne said.

Meanwhile, Sri Lanka has appointed C.P.Abeygunawardena as Sri Lanka's 15-a-side national coach while Asanga Seneviratne would continue to be the Sri Lanka Sevens national coach. Abeygunawardena takes over from Tony Amit, who coached the national team at the World Cup qualifiers early this year after SSP Nimal Lewke stepped.

Abeygunawardena was the Assistant coach to Amit during the two World Cup qualifying round games early this year. The SLRFU has appointed him as Sri Lanka's 15-a-side national coach for the 14th Asian Games in Korea and the 2002 Rugby Asiad in Thailand.

A product of Royal College, Colombo, Abeygunawardena is an experienced coach who has greatly contributed to the success of undisputed Premier league champion side Kandy Sports Club. Abeygunawardena played for Royal in the early 70s with distinction and went on to captain CR & FC and Sri Lanka. He will be in-charge of both 15-a-side and 7-a-side Sri Lanka teams for next month's Asian Games in Busan, South Korea.

Veteran Ajith Abeyratne has been appointed chief co-cordinator of the national rugby team with well-known international coach George Simpkin as the Technical Advisor. Simpkin, a veteran rugby coach in the Asian region, has offered his honorary services as a technical adviser to the national team, according to the SLRFU President.

Leonard de Zilwa is tipped to retain his place as Sri Lanka captain for the Singer Sri Lankan International Sevens to be worked off in Kandy from September 13 to 15. Having led Sri Lanka at the recent Commonwealth Games in Manchester, he looks almost certain of being appointed Sri Lanka captain for the all-important international annual home tournament, hosted by Kandy Sports Club. But Sri Lanka will be missing the services of playmaker Sanjeewa Jayasinghe, who is nursing an injury.

Six schoolboys have been included in the 22-member Sri Lanka national pool named yesterday for the upcoming Singer Sri Lankan International Sevens. They are Rajith Jayasundara, Chamath Dhanawansa, Lakshman Dissanayake (all from the President's trophy champion and unbeaten Royal side), Dilanka Wjesekera (St.Peter's), M.Liyanage (St.Anthony's) and D.Pushpakumara (Vidyartha).

Among the players who are almost certain of finding places in the final 12-member squad are Leonard de Zilwa, Nalaka Weerakkody, Sumedha Jayasinghe, Radhika Hettiarachchi, Sajith Mallikarachchi, Milinda Jayasinghe, Rajith Jayasundara, Indrajith Bandaranayake, Hamesh Gunaratne, D.Pushpakumara and Ravi Jayasuriya.

The others in the 22-member pool are Pavithra Fernando, Harshana Wijeweera, Lakala Perera and Yiganthara Karunaratne. All players, except for those involved in the Clifford Cup final, have been requested to report at the CR & FC grounds on September 2 at 4 p.m.

Another 12 players have been requested by the SLRFU to report to the CR & FC hockey grounds on September 27, 28 and 29 at 5 p.m. each day for practices of the Sri Lanka 15-a-side team for the Asian Games. They are Anura Fernando, Charaka Hewawasam, Ajith Prasanna, Kavinda Jayasinghe, Ravi Jayasuriya, Leonard de Zilwa, Harshana Wijeweera, B.D.N.Fernando, Rajitha Jayasundara, Lakshman Dissanayake, K.Pushpakumara and Dilanka Wijesekera.

They have been asked to report to Graham Raux and Shiyam Siddique who will be co-cordinating for national coach Abeygunawardena.

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