The Sri Lanka Schools Rugby Football Association in collaboration with Sri Lanka Rugby (SLR) has finalised a strong 12-member squad for the upcoming Commonwealth Youth Games that is set to take place in Nassau, in the Bahamas
Sri Lanka U18 Champions of AR 7s tournament in Taipei
A fortnight ago the U20 sevens team won the Asian sevens title, and now here the U18 young brigade has…
The 12-member squad was finalised today (24th) after the trials that were conducted on the 23rd of May 2017 at the Race Course stadium. The Commonwealth Youth Games for the year 2017 is set to take place in Nassau in the Bahamas from the 19th to the 23rd July 2017 featuring 12 sporting disciplines that include sevens rugby.
Read more: Sri Lanka U18 Sevens Trials
Being a youth event, only players born after the 31st of December 1998 are eligible to participate and the initial cut shortlisted the 12-member squad while five players will be kept as stand-by.
Also read: Sri Lanka U18 Rugby in for Commonwealth Youth Games
Experienced campaigner Christian De Lile who was a part of the Asia Under 18 series winning side last year is set to be a key figure when it comes to leadership taking into consideration his performance.
The impact players from the concluded 2017 Singer Schools Rugby League have been included such as Antonian Mohammed Shabeer, Nadeesha Chaminda of Isipathana, Woren Weerakoon of Trinity College and Gemunu Chethiya of St. Joseph’s.
The sevens matches will take place on the 19th, 20th and 21st of July at the QE Sports Centre and the teams and pools are yet to be finalised. With more than 50 days to go for the games, the Sri Lankan team should be having adequate time to train as a unit and give strong contest in the Bahamas in July.
The finalised 12-member-squad will be as follows:
- Mohammed Shabeer – St. Anthony’s College
- Naveen Rajaratnam – Trinity College
- Daiyan Sabar – Wesley College
- Christian De Lile – S. Thomas’ College
- Tharindu De Alwis – St. Joseph’s College
- Gemunu Chethiya – St. Joseph’s College
- Ravin Fernando – St. Peter’s College
- Vishwa Ranaraja – Trinity College
- Nadeesha Chaminda – Isipathana College
- Dulanjala Piyathissa – Dharmaraja College
- Woren Weerakoon – Trinity College
- Ishara Liyanage – St. Anthony’s College
Stand-by
- Theeksha Gunasinghe – St. Anthony’s College
- Dilan Kavinda – St. Joseph’s College
- Harith Senanayake – S. Thomas’ College
- H. Dananjaya – Maliyadewa College
- Bawantha Udangamuwa – Dharmaraja College
Sudath Sampath & Nalaka to coach
Read about Sri Lanka’s Under 20 triumph
Experienced sevens player and champion coach of the Sri Lanka Under 20 Sevens team that won the Asia Under 20 Series has been tipped to coach the side while former Kandy Sports Club player and coach Nalaka Weerakkodi will join the national coaching contingent in the position of assistant coach.
