Sports - Rugby Asiad to blast through

Cricket suffered a blow following last Monday’s bomb blast. However, rugby can carry Sri Lanka’s flag proudly. Not a single team has pulled out of the Singer Rugby Asiad to be held in November. Nor has any team withdrawn from the Singer Sevens scheduled for the second week of September.

Executive Director of the Sri Lanka Rugby Football Union, Dilroy Fernando speaking to The Sunday Times said that the Manager of the Japanese team had visited Colombo following the blast. Fernando said that Kotaro Inabe had checked on everything. “He looked at the venues, training facilities, accommodation and security arrangements. Inabe was satisfied with everything,” said Fernando.

Fernando added that they had spoken to hierarchy of all the forces and had been promised full cooperation. He also said that a special sub committee headed by former Police and Sri Lanka prop forward Hafeel Marso, had been appointed to overlook the security arrangements.

Thus it appears that all 13 teams will participate in the Singer Rugby Asiad. Quite a few of the teams competing at the Asiad, will be seen in action at the Singer sevens. The notable exception being Japan, who has said that the sevens is held during their domestic season and therefore have opted out. They will be replaced by Philippines who are competing at the sevens for the first time.

National coach Willie Hetaraka will conduct a host of interviews to find an assistant. Candidates short listed for the post include former Sri Lankan sevens assistant coach Inthie Marikkar, Sudath Sampath, Hisham Abdeen Shyam Siddeek and other well known figures.

The selection committee has nominated a 35 member pool for the sevens and Asiad. The squad which includes four schoolboy players will under go a fitness test today prior to the start of training.

The players are; D.Lewke, F.Marija, S, Mallikarachchi, C. Vithanage, S Jayasinghe, S. Bandara, K. Jehan, E. Weerakkody, S. Wijesinghe, P. Chathuranga, P. Liyanage, M. Jabar and S. Hettiarachchi. (all from Kandy SC). A. Buksh, V. Prasantha, A. Walpola, A. Perera, A. Dharmathileke, A. Karthelis, M. Sheriff, Senthil Kumar, S. Swarnathileke and A. Rodrigo (from CR and FC),D. Ekanayake, J. Ranaweera, D. Wijesekera, D. Sanjeewa and Saliya Kumara(from CH and FC), Dilan Soysa, Lalindra Rodrigo, Ravi Jayasooriya and Ameen Jameel (from Havelocks), Gayan Weeraratna and Tilina Manoj (from Kingswood), Kusal Rankothge (St. Anthony’s Kandy), Kosala Thisera (from Trinity), Suranga Arunashantha (from Air Force) Ajith Silva and Asanka Perera (from Army)