Sri Lanka Sevens team out to give of their best in Mumbai

Ranjeeva Seneviratne

The Sri Lanka Sevens Team, will be brimming with confidence when take part in the third leg of the HSBC Asian Rugby Series- the Mumbai Sevens at the Gymkhana Club Grounds Mumbai on October 13 and 14.

The Sri Lankans who won the Plate Championship of the Shanghai Sevens in China three weeks ago, have been practising hard under the watchful eyes of their coach Englishman Ben Gollings and should give another fine performance at this weekends sevens.Gollings, the highest points scorer in IRB Sevens Rugby, has taken great pains to improve the skills of the players and moulded them into a formidable outfit who should be a force to be reckoned with at the Mumbai Sevens.

The Sri Lankans have been drawn into Group ‘B’ along with Malaysia , Iran and China and will launch their campaign with a match against Malaysia at 9.20 am followed by the other two games. If the Lankans are able to enter the quarter finals of the cup championship , then there is a chance of being included in the 2013 Hong Kong Sevens in which the Lankans last took part in 2008.

The Sri Lankans who won the Plate Championship by beating Thailand by 22 – 7 in Shanghai have made two changes, for the Mumbai Sevens . Up Country Lions’ Dilip Selvam and Havelocks’ Mithun Hapugodage have been brought into the side at the expense of Mohammed Sheriff and Shenal Dias. Skipper Fazil Marija, who was entrusted with the task of captaining the side at the Shanghai Sevens on the recommendation of Coach Ben Gollings was a source of inspiration with his dazzling display and should give a repeat performance in Mumbai along with Srinath Sooriyabandara, Vishwamithra Jayasinghe, Dinusha Chathuranga and Saliya Handapangoda who gave out their best at the Shanghai Sevens.

The Sri Lanka Squad for Mumbai Sevens: Fazil Marija (Captain), Saliya Kumara (both from Kandy SC) , Srinath Sooriyabandara, Vishwamithra Jayasinghe, Sajith Saranga, Nigel Ratwatte and Dilip Selvam (all from Up Country Lions), Chula Susantha, Dinusha Chathuranga, Sayuru Anthony (all three from Navy), Mithun Hapugodage (Havelocks), Saliya Handapangoda (Army)

Coach : Ben Gollings.
Manager: Colonel Mohan Ratnayake
Physiotherapist : Amith Jayasekara