Yoshitha leads SL for Asian Five Nations

Ranjeeva SENEVIRATNE

The National Selection Committee of the Sri Lanka Rugby Football Union picked a strong 25 member squad for the Asian Five Nations Rugby Tournament which will be worked off from March 31 to April 6 at Havelock Park.

Dynamic third row forward Yoshitha Rajapaksa of the Navy will lead the Sri Lanka team with Kandy SC’s Fazil Marija as his deputy. Sri Lanka will confront Chinese Taipei in their opening match on March 31 followed by the game against Thailand on April 3 and will play their final game against Kazakhstan on April 6.

The Sri Lankans have been training hard for the last one month under the watchful eyes of coach South African Ravin Du Plessis ably assisted by Englishmen Ben Gollings and will go all out to win the tournament and earn a promotion to the higher division next year.

Last year Sri Lanka, led by Yoshitha Rajapaksa, went down fighting to Philippines in the deciding match played in Manila just failing to earn a promotion to the higher division.

The Sri Lanka squad:

Prop forwards – Henry Terrence (Havelocks), Dushmantha Priyadarshana (Havelocks), Kishore Jehan (Kandy SC), Sathya Ranatunga (Navy).

Hookers – Namal Rajapaksa (Navy), Anuranga Walpola (Kandy SC).

Lock forwards – Dinesh Sanjeewa (Kandy SC), Shenal Dias (Havelocks), Hasitha Perera (Up Country Lions), Sajith Saranga (Up Country Lions).

Third row forwards – Yoshitha Rajapaksa (Captain, Navy), Sharo Fernando (Up Country Lions), Sayuru Anthony (Navy), Sumedha Malewana (Navy).

Scrum half – Roshan Weeraratne (Kandy SC).

Fly halves – Fazil Marija (Vice Captain, Kandy SC), Rehan Weerakoon (Navy).

Centres – Chula Susantha (Navy), Dinusha Chathuranga (Navy), Gayan Weeraratne (Kandy SC), Pradeep Liyanage (Kandy SC).

Wingers – Chamara Dabare (Havelocks), Sandun Herath (Havelocks).

Full backs – Mohamed Sheriff (Havelocks), Raza Mubarak (Navy).

Stand-byes – Jason Dissanayake (Navy), Uchitha Jayasuriya (Up Country Lions), Ishan Noor (CR and FC), Niroshan Fernando (Havelocks), Saliya Handapangoda (Navy), Eranga Swarnatilleke (Navy), Achala Perera (Kandy SC), Charith Seneviratne (Air Force).