Gutsy Sri Lanka hold clear edge over hosts Taipei in opener

The hard work put in by the Under 19 team over the last two months will come to fruition in Taipei

Asia Rugby Championship Under 19

By Shamseer Jaleel

Sri Lanka Youth Rugby outfit (Under 19) will be locking horns against hosts, Taipei in their first match of the Asia Rugby Championship Under 19 event  which will take place at the Taipei Municipal Stadium today (December 12). 

Defending champions, Hong Kong who are favoured to pull it off will play Korea in the first game of the day.

The Sri Lanka Youth outfit is led by former Joes and CR &FC player, Gemunu Chethiya with Dushantha Lewke heading the coaching unit. Maliyadeva player Ishara Herath lost out on the tour due to an injury two days ago, which leaves Sri Lanka in a tight situation for kick at goal with Hettiaratchi and Zamil being the other two options.

Sri Lanka will play Hong Kong on December 15 and Korea on December 18 in the league format encounters. The 4th placed team in the Taipei leg will be demoted for the 2019 events to Division I, while the winners of the Taipei leg will represent Asia at the Junior World Rugby Tournament (JWRT) Division I in early 2019.

Sri Lanka, in their fifteens history, last qualified for the Junior World Rugby Tournament nearly two decades ago, which took place in Chile.

The touring squad of 26 players are Gemunu Chethiya (Capt), Tharindu De Alwis, Shan Akila, Keshan Kavinda (all from St Joseph’s), Praveenda Wijethilake and Vishwa Ranaraja (both from Trinity), Himantha Hirushan, Ifham Fareed, Fadhil Adhan, Visitha Kavinjana, Maleesha Maduwan, Mubeen Faleel, Kalindu Nandila and Janidu Dilshan  (all from Royal), Rashmika Chandrarathne (Kingswood), Adeesha Handunpathirana (St Thomas), Julian Charles, Jason Karunaratne and Rukshan Madushanka (St Peters), Mohamed Sabeer, Ishara Liyanage (both from St Anthony’s), Dayan Sabar (Wesley) Ravindu Anjula(Isipathana), Tuan Zamil (Lumbini) and Tharindu Hettiarachchi (Vidyartha)

Head Coach: Dushantha Lewke. Assistant Coach/Team Manager Mohamed Mushtaq.

Meanwhile the Division I will take place between Singapore, China, Philippines and Thailand. This event will take place in Thailand. The winners of this event will be promoted to the top rankings.