Lanka Sevens team go out with confidence

Ranjeeva SENEVIRATNE reporting from Singapore

The Sri Lanka Sevens team has a very good chance of qualifying for the 2013 Rugby Sevens World Cup by finishing within the first three at the final leg of the HSBC Asian Rugby Sevens Series which kicks off today at the Singapore Cricket Club Grounds.

The non-participation of Asia's third ranked team Chinese-Taipei will give the Lankans a golden opportunity of entering the semi-finals of the Cup Championship and finishing third.

The Sri Lankans who won two successive plate championships in Shanghai and Mumbai will launch their campaign by confronting Asian Heavyweights Japan in a Group ‘D’ match at 12 noon followed by the game against the minnows of Asian Sevens Rugby Indonesia at 2 pm and a victory against the Indonesians will enable the Lankans to enter the quarter finals of the Cup Championship where they will most probably confront South Korea who are likely to prevail over Thailand and Singapore in the Group ‘B’ matches.

The Secretary of the SLRFU Rizly Illyas speaking on the eve of the departure of the team to Singapore said that the appointment of Fazil Marija as captain of the team on the recommendation of coach Englishman Ben Gollings has paid rich dividends with Marija leading from the front and proving to be a source of inspiration to his team-mates especially, Srinath Sooriyabandara, Dinusha Chathuranga, Vishwamithra Jayasinghe, Saliya Handapangoda, Nigel Ratwatte, Sajith Saranga and Saliya Kumara who gave a sterling display in the last two tournaments in which they went down fighting to formidable South Korea 12 – 17 in Shanghai and mighty Hong Kong 12 – 17 in Mumbai – the eventual Cup Champions.

“The Sri Lanka Rugby Football Union's policy of not interfering in team selections done by the selection committee and the coach has gone a long way in taking Lankan Sevens Rugby to great heights and we are confident that dedicated coach Ben Gollings will be able to take Sri Lanka Sevens Rugby to the next level” said Illyas in conclusion.

SL Sevens Squad

Fazil Marija (Captain) and Saliya Kumara(Both from Kandy SC), Srinath Sooriyabandara, Vishwamithra Jayasinghe, Sajith Saranga, Nigel Ratwatte, Dilip Selvam (all from Up Country Lions), Dinusha Chathuranga, Sayuru Anthony, Chula Susantha (all from Navy), Saliya Handapangoda(Army), Shenal Dias(Havelocks).

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