A tough challenge awaits Sri Lanka in the 2nd leg of the Asia Sevens Series with the team grouped alongside Hong Kong, Chinese Taipei and hosts Korea.
The Lankans had a successful campaign in the 1st leg in Hong Kong, playing sans their key players. The men’s side were able to re-instate Sri Lanka to being 3rd in Asia, finishing behind Japan and Hong Kong.
Read More: Sri Lanka Rugby back to 3rd in Asia
The second leg of the three-legged Asia Sevens Series will kick off next Saturday(29th) at the Namdong Stadium in Incheon, South Korea, and Sri Lanka’s quest to make it to a cup semifinal will be a tough challenge.
The groups for the second leg for the Men’s competition is as follows:
Group A – Japan, Philippines, China & Malaysia
Group B – Hong Kong, Sri Lanka, Chinese Taipei & Korea
The team will need to win 2 out of the 3 games they play in the group stages in order to qualify for the cup semifinals. Last year, the team failed to make the cup category and finished 5th.
Read more about the team developments: Muthuthanthri set to lead, Jason Dissanayake returns
Sri Lanka has not had pleasant experiences with Hong Kong and the Tuskers are yet to register a win against them. In the last leg, they were Sri Lanka’s semifinal opponents and Sri Lanka lost 31-0.
Sri Lanka – Recent form v Hong Kong
SL v HK Asia Sevens Series 1st leg 2018 (Cup SF) : 0-31
SL v HK Asia Sevens Series 3rd leg 2017 (Cup SF): 12-26
SL v HK Asia Sevens Series 2nd leg 2017 (Cup SF): 12-31
Korea who did not field in their starting side for the Asia Sevens Series opener in Hong Kong is set to play their full side when they play hosts to the 2nd leg. Korea finished a record low 7th in the tournament and will be looking for a revival.
Sri Lanka have had bitter-sweet memories of Korea with the side losing out the bronze medal match to them in the concluded 18th Asian Games in Indonesia.
ICYMI: Sri Lanka go down fighting to Korea
The Lankans have not had an impressive record with the Koreans as of late losing the last two games they played.
Sri Lanka – Recent form v Korea
SL v KOR Asian Games Bronze Medal – 14-36
SL v KOR Asian Games Group Stage – 24-31
SL KOR Asia Sevens Series 3rd Leg (3rd place) – 22-5
The 12-member squad for the second leg is to be finalized and Sri Lanka is set to take flight to Incheon, South Korea on Wednesday(26th).
