Radhika to lead Sri Lanka sevens team

Ranjeeva SENEVIRATNE

Radhika Hettiarachchi of the Sri Lanka Air Force has been picked to lead the Sri Lanka rugby sevens team at the Commonwealth Games rugby competition in New Delhi on October 10 and 11.

With regular skipper Pradeep Liyanage not attending practices due to personal reasons, the Selection Committee of the SLRFU have decided to entrust the captaincy to Hettiarachchi who has been turning out for the national team since 1997 and has captained the Sri Lanka sevens team at the Singer Sri Lankan rugby sevens in 2004.

With four players from Kandy pulling out of the squad due to injuries the Selectors have picked two new players – Police lock forward and flanker Romesh Archarige and Peterite flanker and Sri Lanka youth team skipper Shenal Dias who will be making their debut at the Commonwealth Games rugby sevens.

Sri Lanka has been drawn into a tough group which includes Australia, England and Japan. The Lankan squad is a blend of youth and experience with seasoned campaigners Radhika Hettiarachchi, Milinda Jayasinghe, Sajith Saranga, Chanaka Chandimal and talented youngsters of the calibre of Vishwamithra Jayasinghe, Charith Seneviratne, Saliya Handapangoda, Romesh Archarige and Shenal Dias. The Lankans are being coached by George Simkin who has taken over as national coach once again from Imthisham Marikar who will go as the manager. The Sri Lanka sevens squad for New Delhi: Radhika Hettiarachchi (captain), Chanaka Chandimal, Charith Seneviratne, Dilan de Zoysa, Milinda Jayasinghe (all from Air Force), Vishwamithra Jayasinghe, Srinath Sooriyabandara and Dinusha Chathuranga (all from CR and FC), Sajith Saranga (Kandy SC), Saliya Handapangoda (Army), Romesh Archarige (Police), Shenal Dias (St. Peter’s). Coach: George Simkin. Manager: Imthisham Marikar.