Rugby: Lanka Lions reach Singapore CC 7s Plate quarters

Sri Lanka Lions, the national development Rugby 7s team under the captaincy of Sudarshana Muthuthantri reached the Plate quarter-final of the 68th Singapore Cricket Club Rugby 7s in Singapore after recording a win, a draw and two losses on Saturday (31).   The Lanka Lions will play the second match of the final day against Palmyra Rugby Union Club, a Western Australian side, in the first Plate quarter-final at 2.50pm Sri Lanka time on Sunday (1).   On Saturday, in their fourth game of the competition, Lanka Lions faced Casuarina Cougars, a club rugby team from the Northern Territory of Australia and suffered a 17-24 defeat to be drafted to the Plate quarter-finals.   Earlier in the day, Lanka Lions recorded their solitary win of the competition against Swedish Kings after a close battle by 12-10, but with a 19-all draw against Cottesloe, a team from Western Australia, on registered on Friday they secured the second slot Pool ‘C’.   The Lanka Lions, however could not overcome Pool ‘C’ leaders, Penguin International RFC who beat the touring Islanders by 38-14.   If they prevail over Palmyra RUC today, the Lanka Lions will stand a chance to reach the Plate semi-final where they are set to face the winner of the quarter-final game between Papua New Guinea Turagus and Swedish Vikings or bid adieu to the three-day competition, if they face a defeat. The other Plate quarter-finalists are the Singapore National 7s team, Singapore Cricket Club, Cottesloe and Iskandar Raiders.   Top contenders from the top rugby playing nations namely Tribe 7s, Casuarina Cougars, France Development Team, South Africa Sevens Academy, Penguin IRFC, England Academy, Sunnybank and Borneo Eagles are contesting in the Cup quarter-finals.   The three-day Rugby 7s competition features a total of 24 teams where East Arnhem, NS Silverbacks, Kurumi, Palmyra, Kenya Impala, Global Samoa, NS Wanderers, Singapore Ba Bas, Tamariva and Tamariva are part of.   Sri Lanka Rugby Football Union (SLRFU) decided to send a de facto Sri Lanka 7s team for the tournament in Singapore with the goal of giving their players international exposure prior to the Olympic Qualifiers, which will be held in the coming weekend in Hong Kong.   However the Lanka Lions features almost the full strength national 7s side sans regulars such as Fazil Marija, Dhanushka Ranjan, Nigel Ratwatte, Gayan Weeraratne and Mithun Hapugoda.   “The Lanka Lions’ participation at the Singapore Cricket Club 7s tournament will be an opportunity for a Sri Lanka development squad to participate at international competition prior to the Asia Rugby Olympic Qualifier,” the SLRFU stated in an official media release.   Part of the Lanka Lions team along with the team officials headed by Matt Turner, will fly straight to Hong Kong to join the rest of the Sri Lanka Sevens team for the 2016 Olympic Qualifiers from the Asian Region to be held next weekend in Hong Kong.   Besides skipper Muthuthantri, who is tipped to lead the Sri Lanka 7s team after regular captain Marija’s step-down two weeks ago, the Lanka Lions squad includes Richard Dharmapala, Kanchana Ramanayake, Srinath Sooriyabandara, Shenal Dias, Sandun Herath, Hirantha Perera, Jason Dissanayake, Vishwamithra Jayasinghe, Dinusha Chathuranga, Rohan Theyagarajah and newcomer Reeza Rafaideen.