Kosala to lead Air Force next year

RANJEEVA SENEVIRATNE

Plate Champions of the Caltex 'A' division league rugby tournament and runners-up of the second leg of the Dialog Professional Sevens this year, Sri Lanka Air Force have recruited two outstanding schoolboy ruggerites of this year, Antonian skipper and Sri Lanka Youth player Chanaka Guneratne and Trinity prop forward Mohamed Riyazi who will turn out for them in the 2009 rugby season.

Guneratne represented the Sri Lanka under 20 team in the Youth Rugby Asiad in Buan, South Korea in November while Riyazi played a key role in the success of his school which emerged runners-up of the Schools 'A' division league rugby tournament and their presence should strengthen the Air Force team.

"Next year Air Force will field a formidable team and should give the leading clubs a run for their money," said the Secretary of Air Force rugby, Wing Commander Sanjaya Fernando.

Strongly built prop forward Kosala Ranasinghe has been entrusted with the leadership of the Air Force team and the team is a blend of youth and experience. Seasoned campaigners Suranga Arunashantha, Rohan Fernando, Saumya Silva, Pradeep Kurukulasuriya, Tharaka Chandimal, Prasanna Soysa and skipper Ranasinghe will once again turn out for the Air Force along with talented youngsters Sirej Niranga, Chanaka Chandimal, Radeesha Seneviratne and Charith Seneviratne in the 2009 rugby season.

Navy to play competitive rugby

Sri Lanka Navy which did not play competitive rugby for the last three years as most of their players were deployed for duty in the Northern and Eastern Provinces has decided to take part in the 2009 Caltex 'A' division league rugby tournament.

Navy have obtained the services of several top schoolboy ruggerites from Vidyartha, Ananda, S. Thomas' and St. Peter's.

Sturdily built No. 8 Sumedha Malewana who represented Sri Lanka at the 2007 Rugby Asiad in Colombo and that outstanding former Sri Lanka flanker Ravi Jayasuriya will turn out for the Sailors next year. Malewana played for the CH and FC while Jayasuriya turned out for Havelocks from 2006 to 2008. Former Thomian skipper Yoshitha Rajapaksa and former Ananda skipper Ransith Peiris are also likely to don the Navy jersey next year along with veteran U. G. M. Suranga.