SLRFU selects preliminary national pool for Asiad
View(s):The SLRFU selectors have named an initial pool of 58 players, which is set to be reduced to 30 towards the arrival of the Asian Five Nations Division One tournament, which will be played in late March or early April.
The union is in the process of doing the necessary paperwork to get the commitment of the players. Englishman Ben Gowlings, the greatest try scorer in the seven series, is expected to commence practises by the third week as the High Performance and Back Coach. Ben has already proven his ability as Sri Lanka’s sevens coach. The SLRFU will finalise the appointment of the coach and the trainer shortly.
Back in the pool are Kandy players Keith Gurusinghe, Saliya Kumara and Eranga Swarnatillke, who were tested positive for a banned substance detected during the 2011 Asian Five Nations Match against UAE. Swarnatillke scored the equalising try in the drawn match and that is all the suspension got to as Sri Lanka were relegated. Anuradha Walpola, who was suspended in 2010 after having tested positive for a banned substance in the domestic season has also returned to the pool.
Schoolboys Randika De Alwis (Trinity), Jason Dassanayake (Vidyartha) and Aruna Kumara (Isipathana) are the new talent that has been included while brothers Namal and Yoshitha Rajapaksa of SL Navy SC are also included.
Prop Forwards: Dimithri Wijethunga, Henry Terence, Dushmantha Priyadarshana, Kishore Jehan, Sathya Ranathunga, Eranga Swarnatillke, Susantha Kothalawala, and Desmond Wilson.Hooker: Anuradha Walpola, Namal Rajapaksa, Ananda Jayalal, Uchitha Jayasooriya.
Lock Forwards: Shenal Dias, Dinesh Sanjeewa, Kalana Amarasinghe, Romesh Archarige, Randika Alwis, Sajith Saranga, Hasitha Perera, and Jason Dissanayake.
Third Row: Danushka Perera, Sudharshana Muthuthanthri, Diran Warnakulasuriya, Arun Kumara, Heshan Kalhara, Sean Wijesinghe, Keith Gurusinghe, Yoshitha Rajapaksa, Sayuru Anthony, Sharo Fernando.
Scrum Half: Roshan Weeraratne, Suranga Pushpakumara, Andrew Benson, and Srinath Sooriyabandara.
Fly Half: Niroshan Fernando, Fazil Marija, Gayantha Iddamalgoda, Chanaka Chandimal, Rehan Weerakoon, Nigel Ratwatte.
Centres: Mushin Faleel, Lasintha de Costa, Gayan Weeraratne, Pradeep Liyanage, Chula Susantha, Dinusha Chathuranga.Wingers: Chamara Dabare, Sandun Herath, Anurudha Wilwara, Mithun Hapugoda, Nuwan Hettiarachchi, Saliya Handapangoda, Pubudu Kodagoda, M.A.R.C de Silva, Viswamithra Jayasinghe.
Fullback: Mohamed Sheriff, Saliya Kumara, Riza Mubarak. – VP
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