Carlton international sevens to kick off today

Friday, 8 August 2014 01:43 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

By Shamseer Jaleel Over 50 top class overseas sevens players around the globe will participate at the fourth edition of the Carlton International Rugby sevens which will be worked off at the Koggala Free Trade Zone rugby grounds today and 9 August. The ten team events second leg will take place at the Race Course Rugby Grounds in Colombo on 16 and 17 of this month. All ten teams participating at the Carlton Sevens 2014 are allowed to register four foreign players to their playing squad and at a given time two foreign players can take the field. All teams should have an under 21player in their playing squad. These two legs will be an ideal opportunity for the Sri Lanka sevens players who will take wing to the Asian Games in Hong Kong on 23 and 24. Eight school teams will lock horns in the schools segment which will see Isipathana, Trinity, Kingswood, Royal, St Joseph’s, Science, Wesley and Kannangara Vidyalaya will participate. Tournament Director Ronny Ibrahim speaking to Daily FT said that there will be four foreign players for each team with some top qualities players showing interest to come over to Sri Lanka. In all there will be over 50 players coming for this tournament from all part of the globe. New Zealand’s most successful Sevens skipper D J Forbes, Thomasi Kama, Ben Lamb, Tim Nicolson, current Fiji sevens skipper Collin Sau, former Fiji skipper and national sevens coach Stefano Cakalo are few of the overseas players. In total there will be 23 Fijians, 9 Samoans, 6 New Zealanders, 4 England, 3 from USA and 2 from Spain will be seen in action in Koggala.

Warriors led by Yoshitha Rajapakse will have a crack side with an advantage of fielding five overseas players including two Sri Lankan based Fijians Joseph Dunn and Emori Waqavulagi plus signed up with New Zealander Lote Raikabulla. They will also have the luxury of the former Fijian centre sevens skipper Stefano Cakaunivalu representing them. Uva Vipers will once again have the Commonwealth Rugby Sevnes Silver medal skipper of New Zealand D J Forbes. He is recognized as one of the most outstanding players in World Sevens rugby will be here once more. Sabaragamuwa Stallions will also have Alatsai Tupou, Tulolo Tulolo Jnr, Fautua Otto, Meki Magelele, Fale Sooialo and Talaga Alafio. They ended as the runner up at the last year’s sevens. Kandy SC star player in last year’s league and knock out David Halaifonua of Tonga will represent Northern Gladiators led by Fazil Marija. Halaifonua is also being drafted in to the Tongan side. Former China, Germany and Kandy SC Head Coach and New Zealander George Simpkin who in the Tournament Director said the game had moved forward tremendously thanks to tournaments of this nature at Carlton sevens. We saw Sri Lanka wining the Shield at Commonwealth Rugby this year in Glasgow. New Zealand Sevens skipper for more than a decade D J Forbes said I have participated in this tournament from the inception and have seen the game improving every tournament. Forbes ended by saying we are really thrilled for the spectator interest in this country for rugby which is amazing and wanted the young lads to grab the maximum exposure from this mega event. Sabaragamuwa Stallions: Thishan Wickramasinghe (captain), Rajitha Abeyakoon, Andrew Benson, Prasad Devinda, Richi Dharmapala, Dinesh Kumara, Nalin Kumara, Gayan Liyanage, Shashan Mohammed, Dilip Selvam, Tulo Tulo (samoa), Alatasai Tupou (Samoa), Meki Magalele (Samoa), Talaga Alafipo (Samoa), Fale Sooialo (Samoa) and Fautua Otto (Samoa) Western Warriors: Yoshitha Rajapaksa (captain), Bilal Hassan, Lee Keegal, Joseph Dunn Naeqe (Fijian), Danushka Perera, Suranga Pushpakumara, Kanchana Ramanayake, Kanil Seneviratne, Waqavulagi Emori (Fijian) and Randika Warnapura, Staefano Cakaunivalu (Fiji), Jone Vota (fiji), Joeli Lutumailagi (Fiji), Waisei Naurgu (Fiji), Apasi Naqatevu (Fiji) and Lote Rakabula (New Zealand) Eastern Eagles: Thusitha Samarathilake (captain), Chamara Dabare, Lahiru Gurusinghe, Gayantha Iddamalgoda, Arshad Jamaldeen, Shashika Jayawardena, Banuka Nanayakkara, Dulaj Perera, Mohamed Sherif and Rehan Thiyagarajah, Hale T Pole (Tonga), Jone Tuitogo (Fiji), Episalome Waqtabu (Fiji), Villiame Mata (Fiji), Emosi Vucago (Fiji), Lolo Lio (Samoa) and Reupena Levasa (Samoa) North Central Typhoons: Dinusha Ariyapala (captain), Ashan Maduranga, Suranga Arunashantha, Jerad Canute, Mohammed Jabbar, Shanaka Kumara, Samantha Lakshan, Dushanth Lewke, Eranda Perera and Asitha Wijesinghe, Joshua Moon (South Africa), Marck Richards (South Africa), Adrian Nel (South Africa), Stven Hunt (South Africa), Sandle Necobo (South Africa) and Shaun Adendorff (South Africa) Southern Sharks: Srinath Sooriyabandara (captain), Dinusha Chath-uranga, Suhiru Anthony, Chanaka Chandimal, Dinusha Dayan, Shenal Dias, Anurada Herath, Wishwamithra Jayasinghe, Oshana Perera and Charith Seneviratne, Samuela Saqiwa (Fiji), Pio Tuwai (Fiji), Vatemo Ravouvou (Australia), Semi Kunatani (Fiji), Sainivalti Ramuwai (Fiji) and Osea Kolinaou Jaffna Challengers: Saliya Kumara (captain), Rehan Weerakoon, Prasad Chathuranga, Darshana Attipola, Heshan Gunaratne, Saliya Handapangoda, Dulip Methruwan, Mekalanka Pramodaya, Asitha Ratnayake and Sajith Saranga, Kaloucavu isireli (Fiji), Glen Rolls (New Zealand), Martine Amadeo (Spain), David William Batiratua (Fiji), Kabu Tavaga (Fiji) and Matavilla Alapate (Fiji) Northern Gladiators: Fazil Marija (captain), Sudharshan Muthuthanthri, Imanka Ariyapala, Lasintha de Costa, Mithun Hapugoda, Pradeep Liyanage, Reza Mubarak, Danushka Ranjan, Damian Ratwatte and Roshan Weerarathne, Sevuloni Mocenacagi (Fiji), Niko Verekauta (Fiji), Mosese Mawalu (Fiji), Niua Folau (USA), Jasa Veremalua (Fiji) and David Halaifonua (Tonga) Northwestern Blacks: Niranjan Wickramaratne (captain), M. Abzal, Amjad Buksh, Musheel Faleel, Dilanka Gunasekera, Pium Jayasinghe, Pubudu Kodagoda, Chamara Kumara, Kavindu Perera and Heshan Kalhara, Anthony Matoto (Tonga), Mathew Garland (Australia), Ritchie Chong (Samoa), Andrew Muirhead (Australia) and Jordan Tuapou (New Zealand) Central Kings: Rohitha Rajapaksa (captain), Nigel Ratwatte, Sasanka Ariyaratne, Rahul De Silva, Richard Dharmapala, Thisela Karunathilake, Lavanga Perera, Chula Susantha, Buwanka Udangamuwa and Anrudda Wilwara, Naikasua Leo (Fiji), Mulevoro Emosi (Fiji), Waqa Sitiveni (Fiji) and Turner Drew (South Africa) Uva Vipers: Ashan de Costa (captain), Shehan Pathirana, Randika Alwis, Bohoran, Tharindu Chanaka, Chamith Dananjaya, Kavindu de Costa, Niroshan Fernando, Sandun Herath and Gayan Weeraratne, D J Forbes (New Zealand), Tomasai Cama (New Zealand), Tim Mikkelson (New Zealand) and Gillies Kaka (New Zealand)