Forty member pool picked for Youth Rugby Asiad

RANJEEVA SENEVIRATNE

The National Selection Committee of the Sri Lanka Rugby Football Union which met on Monday picked a 40-member pool in preparation for the Asian Under-20 Rugby Championships which will be worked off in Brunei from December 13 to 27, 2007.

Sri Lanka will play in Division One of the tournament along with defending champions Japan, South Korea, Hong Kong, Chinese Taipei, Thailand and Singapore.

The 40-member pool will go into training under Sri Lanka Under-20 coach Sanath Martis on November 15 in Colombo. He will be assisted by Ananda Kasturiarachchi. Colonel Dhammika Gunasekera will be the Manager of the team.

Sri Lanka led by Haren Ariyawardena finished sixth in last year's Youth Rugby Asiad played in Chinese Taipei beating Singapore and losing to Chinese Taipei and South Korea.

The 40-member pool for the Youth Rugby Asiad: PROP FORWARDS - Thilanga Gunatilleke (Dharmaraja), Andrew Jegan (Wesley and Havelocks), Sathya Ranatunga (Trinity), Dimal Jayasinghe (Southern Province), Iranga Herath (Kingswood).

HOOKERS - M. Wickremasinghe (Trinity), Bilal Hassen (Royal), B. Abeysinghe (Vidyartha).

LOCK FORWARDS - Sean Wanigasekera (Trinity), Chanaka Galappathy (Nalanda), Migara Wijeratne (Vidyartha), W. M. Dinesh (Southern Province), Zaffer Jahn (Wesley and CH and FC).

THIRD ROWERS - Gayan Ratnage (Kingswood), Sashika Jayawardena (St. Anthony's), Nifath (Southern Province), D. B. Dissanayake (St. Sylvester's), Poornaka Delpachithra, Ishan Noor and Thilan Bulner (all three from St. Peter's).

SCRUM HALVES - A. Lakshan (Vidyartha), Shanaka Peters (Wesley), Roshan Weeraratne (Kingswood).

FLY HALVES - Roshan Wijesiri (St. Anthony's), Omar Hassen (Royal), Chanaka Chandimal (Vidyartha and Air Force).

CENTRES - Harsha Weerakkody (St. Peter's), K. Gayan (Isipatana), Gayan Weeraratne (Kingswood), Damith Udayanga (Isipatana), Dinusha Chathuranga (Isipatana).

WINGERS - Kusal Rankothge (St. Anthony's), Nisala Sithum (Nalanda), Nishan de Silva (Nalanda), Chanaka Gunaratne (St. Anthony's), Sajeewa Madushanka (Central Province).

FULL BACKS - Dilsha Devananda (Wesley), Reza Mubarak (Isipatana), Chula Susantha (Kingswood), A. N. Hettiarachchi (Dharmaraja).