Randika to lead Sri Lanka youth rugby team

Ranjeeva SENEVIRATNE

Trinity College lock forward Randika Alwis has been picked to lead the Sri Lanka youth rugby team at the Asian Youth Rugby Championship 2012 which will be worked off at Havelock SC grounds, Colombo from September 12 to 15, 2012.

Randika, a fine line out jumper and a terrific player in the loose played a key role in Trinity’s success this year where they emerged runners up of the Singer segment one League Tournament. Isipatana’s number eight Arun Kumar who had an excellent season for his school Isipatana who emerged League champions this year has been named as the vice captain.

Sri Lanka will confront Singapore in their first match on September 12 (Wednesday) and if they win that match they will meet the winners of the match between Malaysia and Chinese Taipei in the final on September 15 at the same venue. Former Sri Lanka number eight and Isipatana skipper Shamly Nawaz is the coach of the team and he is being assisted by former Sri Lanka skipper Asanga Rodrigo.

The Sri Lanka squad

Mohamad Insaf (Trinity), Lahiru Pavithra (Royal), Iroshan de Alwis (Royal), Randika Alwis (captain, Trinity), Lochana Ekanayake (Dharmaraja), Kumendra Dharmadasa (Isipatana), Ganidu Weerasinghe (Isipatana), Arun Kumar (vice captain, Isipatana), Richard Dharmapala (Science), Rimzi Jamaldeen (Royal), Uditha Prematilleke (Isipatana), Thisila Karunatilleke (Trinity), Hirantha Perera (Isipatana), Heshan Maduranga (Science), Danusha Dayan (St Anthony’s, Kandy), Manaka Siriwardene (Isipatana), Udara Gayan Jayasekera (Wesley), Sajith Chaturanga (St Peter’s), Panduka Angammana (St Anthony’s, Kandy), Kavindu de Costa (Isipatana), Jason Melder (St Joseph’s), Woshan Randima (Ananda), Miyuru Hewawasam (Dharmaraja), Rehan Thiagarajah (St Joseph’s)

Stand-byes: Rochana Hettiarachchi (Dharmaraja), Lahiru Fernando (Dharmaraja), Royston Jansen (St Peter’s), Dhuli Samarakoon (Trinity), Lasitha Attanayake (St Sylvester’s), Randika Ishan (Prince of Wales).