Sean Wijesinghe will miss Rugby Asiad

Ranjeeva Seneviratne

Sri Lanka will miss the services of outstanding flanker Sean Wijesinghe at the Singer Rugby Asiad which will be worked off at CR and FC grounds, Longden Place and Royal College Sports Complex from November 3 to 10, 2007.

Wijesinghe who returned to the country on Monday after watching the finals of the Rugby World Cup in France is suffering from a knee injury and has still not fully recovered and will definitely miss the Rugby Asiad said vice President of Kandy Sports Club Hemantha Yatawara.

Earlier Sri Lanka prop forward Jayantha Ranaweera pulled out from the squad as he was suffering from a neck injury and has been advised to rest at least for three months by sports physician Dr. Seevali Jayawickrema. Sri Lanka has a good chance of winning the Rugby Asiad if they field the best possible team by overcoming China and Malaysia and the formidable Kazakhstan in the final whom we beat by 24-12 at Longden Place two years ago in a world cup qualifier said” Yatawara the former Police skipper and Sri Lanka centre three quarter.

Sri Lanka trounced China by 30 points to nil in a World Cup qualifier at Longden Place last year while Malaysia last beat Sri Lanka at a Rugby Asiad in 1994 in Kuala Lumpur by 23-18.

The other four players who returned from France - Sanjeeva Jayasinghe, Dushanth Lewke, Fazil Marija and Imran Bisthamin were due to attend practices yesterday and take part in a fitness test. The final Rugby Asiad squad of 23 members will be picked today by the national selection committee of the SLRFU comprising Anton Benedict, Ravi Wijenathan Norman Silva, Hemantha Yatawara and Lasitha Guneratne.

Host nation Sri Lanka which is ranked number six in Asia along with Kazakhstan, China, Chinese Taipei, Malaysia and Thailand will battle it out in the cup championship of the Rugby Asiad which is being held in Sri Lanka after 17 years.

Sri Lanka which has been drawn into Group ‘B’ will confront China in the curtain raiser of the tournament on November 3 before meeting Malaysia on November 7 in their final group match at Longden Place. The final will be played on November 10 at the same venue.