Yoshitha fetches Rs. 11 million

Western Warriors were able to obtain the services of Sri Lanka skipper Yoshitha Rajapaksa for Rs. 11 million at the bidding for the captains for the Carlton local and international sevens held at the Lakshman Kadirgamar Centre on Wednesday.

Yoshitha who led the Navy Sports Club successfully in 2011 and 2012 and then led the Sri Lanka national team to victory in the Asian five nations tournament last month fetched the highest amount of Rs. 11 million with North Western Blacks and Sabaragamuwa Stallions unsuccessfully bidding for him for Rs. 8 million and 10 million respectively. Yoshitha also led the Jaffna Challengers successfully at last year’s Carlton Rugby Sevens in which they were joint runners-up.

In addition to the Carlton international sevens this year a local sevens tournament too will be conducted by a new organization called Ceylon Premier Sports headed by Dhammika Perera in collaboration with the SLRFU with its secretary Rizly Illyas as the secretary.

The bidding for the captains of Carlton rugby sevens was held at the auditorium of Lakshman Kadirgamar Institute at which Northern Gladiators bought Sri Lanka sevens skipper Fazil Marija for Rs. three million while Srinath Sooriyabandara was bought for Rs. 2.5 million by Southern Sharks.

Havelocks Star Ruggerite Shenal Dias was secured by Eastern Eagles for Rs. 2.5 million while Central Kings and North Western Blacks obtained the services of Nigel Ratwatte and Gayan Weeraratne respectively for Rs two million.

Pradeep Liyanage fetched Rs. 1.3 million for North Central Typhoons while Rohitha Rajapaksa, Sajith Saranga, and Chamara Dabare were bought for Rs. eight lakhs by Sabragamuwa Stallions, Jaffna Challengers and Uwa Vipers respectively.