According to reliable sources former Thomian skipper, Sri Lanka Youth captain and Navy SC skipper Yoshitha Rajapaksa is tipped to lead the national rugby team when it tours the Philippines for the HSBC Asian Five Nations Rugby Tournament-Division I tournament when it will be worked off in April this year. Yoshitha who also led the national sevens team which won the Bowl Segment at the Bourneo Sevens.
Already the national selectors have forwarded the names of 35 players for the tour and it is with Sports Minister for approval. The pool has started training in Kandy and Colombo under physical trainer Jayathilake.
Sri Lanka has lost three games out of four at the Asian Five Nations contest last year and failed to gain the home advantage when they drew the opener against UAE. Then they were beaten by Japan, Hong Kong and Kazakhstan and were demoted to the Division I.
The latest development about the Sri Lanka coach is that a coach from a British Club is tipped to take over the national team for the Philippines tour with Sanath Martis as the Assistant Coach.
Two more coaches were short listed with one from new Zealand and the other from Australia but they had quoted high salaries. Sanath who proved himself at the Under 20 level bringing the national side to top 3 in Korea will also end his term with St. Peter’s College who have opted for Colin Dinesh to take charge of the Peterite rugby outfit. |
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