HSBC Asian Five Nations Tournament:

Confident Lankans take on UAE today

Ranjeeva SENEVIRATNE

The Sri Lanka rugby team which has been practising hard for the last three weeks under the watchful eyes of their New Zealand coach Ellis Meachan will be brimming with confidence when they confront United Arab Emirates in the curtain-raiser of the HSBC Asian Five Nations Tournament at Longden Place at 4 pm today.

Meachan has taken great pains to harness the skills of the players and mould them into a formidable outfit and also improved their fitness levels which would stand them in good stead in today’s match.

The United Arab Emirates which consists of expatriates who are employed in the country played a warm up game against Morocco which they lost 8-13 and the players also gained invaluable experience by playing in the club rugby competition in Dubai but face the herculean task of overcoming the strong Sri Lankans today.

The United Arab Emirates led by lock forward Mike Cox-Hill possess a heavy set of forwards but Sri Lanka with a much fitter and faster set of forwards should dominate in the loose with skipper Sean Wijesinghe, Achala Perera, Danushka Perera, Yoshitha Rajapaksa, Senaka Bandara and Sajith Saranga likely to give a sterling display.

The Lankans also boast of a superior back division. They have a fine halves combination in Roshan Weeraratne and Fazil Marija (who is likely to have the UAE defence in disarray with his daring breaks while hard running centres Pradeep Liyanage, Gayan Weeraratne, wingers Lasintha de Costa and Hettiarachchi should test the visitors defence to the hilt with full back Saliya Kumara having a knack of joining the line to form the overlap.

The Lankans also should get a major share of possession from the set scrums with hooker Achala Perera likely to get the better of his vis-a-vis Dan Heal while in the line outs the UAE trio of Mike Cox Hill, Simon Osbourne, Scott Kierr should have the edge over the Lankan duo of Senaka Bandara and Sajith Saranga. A victory in today’s game would not only help the Lankans to remain in the top division for another year but will also be a morale-booster for their remaining matches against Hong Kong on May 7, Kazakhstan on May 14 and Asian heavyweights Japan on May 21.

Sri Lanka (probable team): Henry Terrence, Achala Perera, Eranga Swarnatilleke, Senaka Bandara, Sajith Saranga, Danushka Perera, Yoshitha Rajapaksa, Sean Wijesinghe (Captain), Roshan Weeraratne and Fazil Marija, Lasintha de Costa, Pradeep Liyanage, Gayan Weeraratne, Nuwan Hettiarachchi, Saliya Kumara.

UAE: Chris Jones Griffiths, Dan Heal, Dan Boutwright, Mike Cox-Hill (Captain), Simon Osbourne, Renier Els, Carl Von Rosenveldth, Scott Kerr, Stuart Quinn and Jonathan Grady, Steve Smith, Duncan Murray, Jonathan Beeton, Sean Hurley, Tim Flether.