Sri Lanka will be witnessing exciting rugby action in the coming months both fifteens and sevens action as the governing body for the sport, Sri Lanka Rugby released its revamped calendar for the remaining few months of 2017.
With Sri Lanka competing for silverware in the upcoming Asia Division I Rugby Championship, the governing body has decided to accommodate the sevens action after the fifteens in lieu of the Asia Sevens Series that will kick off in September.
‘TUSKERS’ record at Asia’s Annual 15’s Tournament
In the year 2008, ‘Asia Rugby’ (the regional governing body for Rugby in Asia – formally known as the Asian….
Sri Lanka will tour Malaysia for the Division I Championship for their first match that starts on the 14th of May against the Philippines followed by UAE and Malaysia. Rugby will move into the shorter format starting from the Inter Club Division I Sevens on the 10th and 11th of June 2017.
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The all exciting Sri Lanka Super Series that started last year will be back this summer with the first leg set to start on the 30th June and later followed by the second leg on the 8th & 9th of July. This year, the organisers have intentions of holding one leg out of the two in Kandy and this should get the rugby-frenzied fans in the hill city excited.
Sri Lanka U20 & U18 have titles to defend
Sri Lanka was triumphant in the Under 20 and Under 18 Asia Sevens Series and this year the juniors will have a tough task of defending the two titles they won last season. The under 20 sevens side led by Kevin Dixon last year won the Asia Under 20 Sevens series bringing home the first Asia Sevens title winning the first leg and later ending runners-up in the second leg in Hong Kong.
The first leg of the under 20 series will take place on the 4th and 5th of August while the returning leg will be played in Johor with dates still to be confirmed by Asia Rugby.
The under 18 Sevens side led by Naveen Henakankanamanage won the third place in the Schools Under 18 Championship in Hong Kong but later emerged champions in the leg in Chinese Taipei winning all the games. The Under 18 sevens series this year will one be in Chinese Taipei on the 9th and 10th of September.
The Under 18 Schools 7s will take place early this year on the 15th and 16th July with the venue still to be finalised.
Sri Lanka to once again host Asia Sevens final showdown
Sri Lanka will once again play host for the final showdown of the Asia Sevens Series that will take place at the Racecourse Rugby Stadium on the 13th and 14th of October after the first two legs in Hong Kong and South Korea.
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Sri Lanka will take flight to Hong Kong for the opening leg on the 1st and 2nd of September followed by South Korea on the 23rd and 24th of September before they host the final leg.
Last year, the Sri Lanka team led by Danushka Ranjan took Sri Lanka to their best finish in the Asia Series by finishing second overall. However, they failed to impress the home crowd in the Colombo leg managing to only finish fourth behind Hong Kong, South Korea and China.
The Women’s team had a good start to the season winning the Borneo Sevens early this season and will have plenty of action with the Inter-Club Sevens, Under 20 Sevens and finally the Asia Sevens.
Full Fixture
| 14 May | Asia Rugby Championship – Div 1 – (Sri Lanka vs Philippines) |
| 17 May | Asia Rugby Championship – Div 1 – (Sri Lanka vs UAE) |
| 20 May | Asia Rugby Championship – Div 1 – Malaysia vs Sri Lanak) |
| 28 May | Inter Province Girls Under 18 |
| 04 June | Women’s Inter Club Rugby 7’s – 1st Leg |
| 10-11 June | Inter Club 7’s Segment – 1 |
| 17-18 June | Inter Club 7’s Segment – 2 |
| 25 June | Women’s Inter Club Rugby 7’s – 2nd Leg |
| 30 June -1 July | Sri Lanka Super Seven’s – 1st Leg |
| 8-9 July | Sri Lanka Super Seven’s – 2nd Leg ( 8 & 9 July) |
| 15-16 July | Asian Schools Under 18 – Sevens – (TBC) |
| 15-16 July | National Sports Festival – Men’s & Women’s 7’s Rugby |
| 18 to 13 July | Commonwealth Youth Games – Under 18 – Bahamas |
| 21-22-23 July | Mercantile Seven’s |
| 4 & 5 Aug | Asia Rugby Under 20 – 7’s 1st Leg (Men’s & Women’s) (Hong Kong) |
| TBC | Asia Rugby Under 20 – 7’s 2nd Leg (Men’s & Women’s (Johor Bahru) |
| 1 & 2 Sep | Asia Rugby 7’s Series (Men’s) – 1st Leg – Hong Kong |
| 1 & 2 Sep | Asia Rugby 7’s Series (Women’s) – 1st Leg – Hong Kong |
| TBC | Asia Rugby Western Club Championship (TBC) |
| 9 & 10 Sept | Under 18 – 7’s Championship – Chinese Taipei (Boys) |
| 9 & 10 Sept | Under 18 – 7’s Championship – Chinese Taipei (Girls) |
| 23 & 24 Sep | Asia Rugby 7’s Series (Men’s) – 2nd Leg – Korea |
| 23 & 24 Sep | Asia Rugby 7’s Series (Women’s) – 2nd Leg – Korea |
| 13 & 14 Oct | Asia Rugby 7’s Series (Men’s) – 3rd Leg – Colombo ) |
| 13 & 14 Oct | Asia Rugby 7’s Series (Women’s) – 3rd Leg – Colombo) |
