Pradeep leads Lanka rugby team for Hong Kong Sevens

Ranjeeva SENEVIRATNE

The skipper of the champion Kandy Sports Club Sevens team Pradeep Liyanage will lead the Sri Lanka Sevens team at the Hong Kong Rugby Sevens which will be worked off from March 28 to 30, 2008.

Liyanage led Kandy SC to victory in both Sevens tournaments this year and under this leadership the lads from Kandy emerged victorious in the Singer Professional Sevens and Qi Professional Sevens last year too.

Five of his team-mates Sanjeeva Jayasinghe, Fazil Marija, Radhika Hettiarachchi, Imran Bisthamin and Saliya Kumara too have been selected along with three CR players - Amjad Buksh, Ashen Karthelis and Ashan de Costa. The other three players are veteran Kapila Knowlton (Army), CH and FC's Lakala Perera and Havelocks Wasim Thajudeen (who is the only newcomer in the Sri Lanka team).

The team will be accompanied by national coach Raiwi Markko and trainer Keith Roberts. Sri Lanka has been drawn into the same group as defending champions Samoa, England and Canada. The Lankan team will be sponsored by Singer (Sri Lanka) Ltd.

The Sri Lanka Sevens squad:

Pradeep Liyanage (captain), Radhika Hettiarachchi, Sanjeeva Jayasinghe, Fazil Marija, Imran Bisthamin, Saliya Kumara (all from Kandy SC) Amjad Buksh, Ashen Karthelis, Ashan de Costa (all from CR and FC), Kapila Knowlton (Army), Wasim Thajudeen (Havelocks), Lakala Perera (CH and FC).