Dinusha and Poornaka in Sri Lanka Rugby Sevens Squad

Ranjeeva Seneviratne

Two outstanding schoolboy ruggerites - Isipatana skipper Dinusha Chathuranga and Peterite skipper Poornaka Delpechitra were picked for the 14-member Sri Lanka Rugby Sevens squad which will take part in the World Cup qualifying Rugby Sevens which will be worked off at the Causeway Bay Stadium, Hong Kong on October 4 and 5, 2008.

Both of them came off with flying colours in the Schools Tournament of the Singer-Sri Lankan Rugby Sevens in Nittawela nine days ago and have been rewarded for their fine performance by being chosen for the 14 member squad from which the final 12-member squad for Hong Kong will be picked.

Chathuranga had an excellent season for his school in the 'A' Division League while Delpechitra after leading his school turned out for Havelocks in the Clifford Cup knock-out Rugby Tournament.

The National selection committee of the SLRFU headed by Brigadier Jupana Jayawardena have also included CR and FC Centre Ashan de Costa, Havelocks flanker Sharo Fernando and Police centre Chula Susantha who were stand-byes for the Sri Lanka team which were knocked-out by Korea in the semi-finals of the Cup Championship of the Singer-Sri Lankan Rugby Sevens.

Isipatana number eight Sajith Saranga is the other schoolboy in the 14-member squad which would go into training under the watchful eyes of the two national coaches - South Africans Dawie Snyman and Norman Laker.

Sri Lanka and Kandy SC centre Pradeep Liyanage who led the Sri Lanka Sevens team at the Hong Kong Sevens and Singer-Sri Lankan Sevens has been once again entrusted with the task of captaining the team which also includes Kandy SC's Saliya Kumara who came up with a superb display at the Singer-Sri Lankan Rugby Sevens.

Former Sri Lanka Sevens skipper Sanjeeva Jayasinghe and Sri Lanka fly half Fazil Marija has been left out of the squad for not attending practices.

The 14-member Sri Lanka Sevens Squad: Pradeep Liyanage (Captain), Saliya Kumara (both form Kandy SC), Ashen Karthelis, Mohamed Sheriff, Ashan de Costa, Lasintha de Costa, Amjad Buksh (all from CR and FC), Wasim Thajudeen and Sharo Fernando (both from Havelocks), Dilanka Wijesekera (CH and FC), Chula Susantha (Police), Dinusha Chathuranga and Sajith Saranga (both from Isipatana), Poornaka Delpechitra (St. Peter's).