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DINESH WEERAWANSA reporting from South Korea

BUSAN, Friday. - Sri Lanka's dream of winning a bronze medal in rugby at the 14th Asian Games here would be realised on October 13 when they scrum down with Taiwan in a decisive 15-a-side tournament match of the 38-nation Games here.

Sri Lanka will have a better chance of winning a medal in 15-a-side rugby,though they will also be competing in the seven-a-side rugby tournament of the Busan Games. Sri Lanka will be playing Asian heavyweights Japan and South Korea in the other two matches of the 15-a-side rugby tournament.

The two top teams should have things to their liking against Sri Lanka and Taiwan in the league round matches which would determine the gold medallist.

Considering the form, the Sri Lanka versus Taiwan match on October 13, the last assignment for the Lankan team, would determine the bronze medallist.

Sri Lanka has beaten Taiwan twice in their last home rugby union Test series. But Sri Lanka's biggest worry would be to keep the team fit and motivated until they play this crucial last game of the tour.

Sri Lanka will first play in the seven-a-side tournament and would then play Japan and South Korea in the first two matches of the 15-a-side tournament.

Leading the strong 25-member Sri Lanka rugby squad for the Asian Games would be Kandy Sports Club's No. 8 Harris Omar, who has a proven track record. Veterans Asoka Jayasena and Krishan Musafar earlier pulled out of the team.

For the Asian Games seven-a-side tournament, which starts later next week, Sri Lanka has been drawn along with South Korea, Malaysia and Thailand. Former Sri Lanka captain Jayasena and veteran Sri Lanka player Musafar have informed that they are withdrawing from the team due to 'personal reasons'.

CR's Sumedha Jayasinghe comes in for Jayasena while Musafar's place in the back division goes to Royalist Lakshman Dissanayake, who has been rewarded after a highly successful season with the champion schools outfit from Reid Avenue.

New Sri Lanka skipper Omar, who has been preferred ahead of former Sri Lanka sevens captains Indrajith Bandaranayake and Leonard de Zilva, would have a tough task ahead. However, de Zilva, who led Sri Lanka at the recent Commonwealth Games in Manchester, will find a place in the final team and his presence would be a blessing for the team.

Sri Lanka rugby team for Asian Games: Harris Omar (Captain), Anura Fernando, Sumedha Jayasinghe, Pavithra Fernando, Rajitha Jayasundara, Champika Nishantha, Nalaka Weerakkody, Jeeva Galgamuwa, Mohammed Bucks, K.C. Fernando, Ravi Jayasuriya, Leonard de Zilva, Nilufer Ibrahim, Nilusha Fernando, Indrajith Bandaranayake, Pradeep Basnayake, Dilanka Wijesekera, Kapila Knowlton, Savantha de Saram, Sajith Mallikarachchi, Lakshman Dissanayake, Radhika Hettiarachchi, Herathge Karunaratne, Sameera Wijesinghe, Saranath Hettiarachchi.

Officials: C.P.Abeygunawardena (Coach), Brian Baptist (Manager).

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