Kandy pull out of 2nd leg

Dialog Inter-Club Sevens 2018

By Shamseer Jaleel

The Kandy Sports Club pulled out of the second leg of the Dialog Inter-Club Rugby Sevens 2018 citing injuries and a need to rest their players ahead of the Asian Games and Asian Sevens series.

CR&FC, who kept away from the first leg, will participate in the second leg on 16 and 17 June.

Kandy Secretary Mahesh Weerasinghe, speaking to the Daily FT, said: “The club took this decision not to play in the second leg as our players were involved in too much rugby and urgently needed a rest. They will once again be involved in the Asian Games in Jakarta and Asian Sevens series in Hong Kong, South Korea and Sri Lanka plus the Mercantile Sevens.”

National Sevens players Danushka Ranjan, Danushka Dyan, Srinath Sooriyabandara, Jason Dissanayake, Lavanga Perera, Gayan Weeraratne, Roshan Weeraratne, Vishwamithra Jayasinghe and Richard Dharmapala will get a break from rugby for the next two weeks.

Meanwhile, CR&FC will be represented by some star-studded players such as Omalka Gunaratne, Chanaka Chandimal, Tharinda Ratwatte, Kavindu Perera, Rehan Silva, Reza Rafaideen, Adisha Seneviratne and Shehan Dias.

CR&FC Team Manager M.J. Mushtaq said: “All national players will be in action in one week’s time during the second leg. Some players who are still nursing injuries will be kept away from this tournament but our national players are in good shape and will be fit for the second leg.”