Sri Lanka looks positively ahead of the Asia Rugby Under 19 Championship with the national body finalizing a 30-member squad ahead of the all-important two-legged series that will kick off in Colombo this weekend.
Read more: Asia Rugby Under 19 Championship to be played in two legs
The Asia Under 19 Rugby Championship this year will be in two phases this year with only Hong Kong and Sri Lanka in Division I. The two teams will play each other home and away and the winner of it will make it to the Junior World Rugby Tournament next year.
“Our boys have a good shot at winning” – Wajid Fawmy
The Sri Lanka Rugby U19 team that toured Malaysia last year hoping for a shot at the Asia U19 Championship…
Sri Lanka commenced training a fortnight back with national under 20 sevens skipper and national sevens represent Naveen Henakankanamage being handed over the responsibility of leading this year’s outfit. The Junior Tuskers once again take on the team Sri Lanka has been struggling to beat in the junior and senior forms, Hong Kong.
The 30-member squad that was shortlisted consists of three returning players from last year’s team; prop forward Aveesha Piyankara, Harith Bandara and skipper Naveen Henakankanamage. The rest of the squad include the best out of this year’s Schools Rugby League with several big names making the final list.
Read about Naveen’s announcement: Naveen Henakankanamge set to lead Junior Tuskers
Sri Lanka sevens represents to Bahamas for the Commonwealth Youth Games this year, Mohammed Shabeer, Daiyan Sabar and Gemunu Chethiya have also been shortlisted.
Key players from the concluded season, Avishka Lee of Wesley and Samuel Maduwantha of St. Anthony’s have been omitted due to them not attending trials.
The 30-member Sri Lanka squad will be as follows:
- Naveen Henakankanamage – Captain (S. Thomas’ College)
- Ashane Fernando (Royal College)
- Aveesha Piyankara (Trinity College Kandy)
- Shaveen Ekanayake (Trinity College Kandy)
- Vimukthi Gamage (Wesley College)
- Tehan Senevirathne (St. Joseph’s College)
- Swen Muller (St. Joseph’s College)
- Dinesh Rodrigo (St. Anthony’s College Katugastota)
- Rishane Madena (Trinity College Kandy)
- Thimira Amanda (Wesley College)
- Mohommed Shabeer (St. Anthony’s College Katugastota)
- Daiyan Sabar (Wesley College)
- Shashika Ashan (Wesley College)
- Nipun Tharaka (Dharmaraja College)
- Umar Mohideen (St. Peter’s College)
- Sudheera Gayanath (Isipathana College)
- Harith Bandara (Isipathana College)
- Harith Senanayake (S. Thomas’ College)
- Hashan Madumadawa (Science College)
- Heshan Jansen (Kingswood College)
- Chathura Senevirathne (St. Joseph’s College)
- Lakshitha Ranaweera (Kingswood College)
- Dinuk Amerasinghe (St. Anthony’s College Katugastota)
- Theekshana Dassanayake (St. Peter’s College)
- Gemunu Chethiya (St. Joseph’s College)
- Diluksha Dange (Trinity College)
- Chamod Fernando (Isipathana College)
- Dulanjana Piyathissa (Dharmaraja College)
- Randy Silva (Isipathana College)
- Gihan Perera (St. Joseph’s College)
Also Read: Perera and Costa in charge of Sri Lanka U19’s
The team is coached by Rajeev Perera and Lasintha de Costa and will face Hong Kong in the 1st leg of the Asia Under 19 Championship on the 10th of December 2017 at 2.45 p.m. Stay logged for exclusive action on www.ThePapare.com, Dialog Tv Channel 1 and MyTv.
Sri Lanka vs Hong Kong – Asia U19 Championship 2017 Leg 1
