Dinusha leads Sri Lanka under 20 team for Youth Rugby Asiad

Ranjeeva Seneviratne

Isipatana skipper Dinusha Chathuranga has been picked to lead the Sri Lanka under 20 team which will take part in the Youth Rugby Asiad in Seoul, South Korea from November 3 to 10, 2008.

Besides Chathuranga nine players who took part in last year's Youth Rugby Asiad in Brunei have retained their places in this year's team - Bilal Hassen (Royal), Ishan Noor (St. Peter's), Dilanka Gunatilleke (Dharmaraja), Gayan Ratnage (Kingswood), Poornaka Delpachitra (St. Peter's), Chanaka Peters (St. Joseph's), Chinthaka Guneratne (St. Anthony's), Harsha Weerakkody (St. Peter's), and Sajith Saranga (Isipatana).

Dinusha Chathuranga and Sajith Saranga have already represented Sri Lanka at the World Cup Rugby Sevens qualifier in Hong Kong early this month.

The Sri Lanka youth team will confront Singapore in their final match on November 4 and will take on the winners of the Hong Kong - Chinese Taipei match on November 6 with the final scheduled for November 10.

Sri Lanka under the leadership of Gayan Weeraratne fared creditably in last year's Youth Rugby Asiad in Brunei by finishing third beating Thailand (12-6) and going down fighting to Hong kong (0-6) before beating Malaysia by the staggering margin of 43 points to nil in the third place play off.

Dinusha is the fourth Isipatanian to captain a youth rugby team after Hafi Abdeen (1970), Shamly Nawaz (1996 and 1997), and Anuranga Walpola (2002).

Prop Forwards - Shane Sammandaperuma (Wesley), Dilanka Gunatilleke (Dharmaraja) Ishan Noor (St. Peter's), M. R. Rizwan (Kingswood).

Hookers - Bilal Hassen (Royal), Migara Medugalle (Isipatana/CH and FC)

Lock Forwards - Kalana Amarasinghe (Royal), Hasthika Bandaranayake (Royal), Migara Wijeratne (Vidyartha).

Flankers - Gayan Ratnage (Kingswood) Poornaka Delpachitra (St. Peter's), Sharo Fernando (St. Peter's and Havelocks)

Number Eight - Sajith Saranga (Isipatana and CH and FC)

Scrum Halves - Srinath Suriyabandara (Isipatana), Roshan Weeraratne (Kingswood)

Fly Halves - Niroshana Fernando (Isipatana)

Centres - Dinusha Chathuranga (Captain, Isipatana), Harsha Weerakkody (St. Peter's), Chanaka Peter's (St. Joseph's), Dilshan Paul (St. Peter's)

Wingers - Chanaka Gunaratne (St. Anthony's, Kandy), Vishwamithra Jayasinghe (Isipatana), Gerald Canute (St. Peter's)

Full back - Dilshan Devananda (St. Joseph's)