Sri Lanka may host Asian Nations Rugby Tourney next year

Ranjeeva SENEVIRATNE

Sri Lanka will play in the Asian Nations Division One Tournament along with Chinese Taipei, China and Singapore in April next year, said the President of the Sri Lanka Rugby Football Union DIG Nimal Lewke.

He said that Sri Lanka and Chinese Taipei are bidding to host the tournament and a decision will be taken by the Asian Rugby Football Union on November 30 as to which country will be allowed to conduct the tournament.

“The Asian Rugby Football Union at its meeting held at the Galadari Hotel on Friday also decided to recognise the Singer Rugby Sevens to be played in Kandy next year as a IRB Satellite Tournament.

The ARFU also decided to hold a World Cup qualifying Rugby Sevens Tournament two weeks after the Singer Sevens in an Asian country but have not decided on the venue,” said Lewke.

The top five countries in Asia - Japan, Korea, Hong Kong, Kazakhstan and Arabian Gulf will play in the Cup Championship of the Asian Nations Tournament.

Representatives from 25 rugby playing countries in Asia attended the ARFU meeting which was presided over by the President of the ARFU Choi Won Tae and also present was the Secretary General of the ARFU Ross Mitchell.