Carlton Super Sevens second leg to kick off today

Friday, 15 August 2014 01:52 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

Western Warriors strong contenders for the Trophy

By Shamseer Jaleel Unbeaten Western Warriors led by Yoshitha Rajapaksa and runner-up at the first leg in Koggala Southern Sharks will be the two strong contenders for the championship trophy when they lock horns along with the other eight teams at the second leg of the Carlton Super Sevens which will be kicked off today at the Race Course Rugby Grounds in Colombo. All points collected at the first leg in Koggala will be carried forward for this second and final leg in Colombo today. The strong Western Warriors will meet Sabaragamuwa Stallions in the opening game, which will be kicked off at 12:20 p.m. in the afternoon. All 10 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 21 player in their playing squad. This tournament will be very vital for the selection of Sri Lanka sevens players who will take wing to the Asian Sevens series in Hong Kong on 23 and 24 August. Warriors led by Yoshitha Rajapaksa will have a crack side with an advantage of fielding five overseas players including two Sri Lankan based Fijians Joseph Dunn and EmoriWaqavulagi plus signed up with New Zealander Lote Raikabulla. They will also have the luxury of the former Fijian centre and sevens skipper Stefano Cakaunivalu representing them. Uva Vipers will once again have the Commonwealth Rugby Sevens Silver medal skipper of New Zealand D.J. Forbes. He is recognised 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 has also been drafted in to the Tongan side. Southern Sharks led by Sri Lanka Scrum Half Srinath Sooriyabandara too have a good all round outfit with some top-class players in their ranks. Dinusha Fernando, Shenal Dias, Chanaka Chandimal, Vishwamithra Jayasinghe, Pio Tuwai and Osea Kolonisaw will give a good account of themselves. Western Warriors and New Zealand sevens sensation Lote Rakabula told the Daily FT the tournament in Koggala was great, with the rugby dished out being the best. “The final was one of my best games in my life,” he added. New Zealand sevens skipper D.J. Forbes praised the sevens tournament in Koggala saying the tournament was very well organised. “In all other parts in the world all facilities are set up and hosting the tournament is not so hard, but here Koggala was decorated for rugby and within days the ground was set up to excellent standard and even the spectator interest was excellent.” Forbes added: “This will help Sri Lanka rugby to go to the next level and it was proved at the recently-concluded Commonwealth Rugby Sevens where they ended as the Shield Champions.” 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), 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, 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, 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 Chathuranga, Suhiru Anthony, Chanaka Chandimal, Dinusha Dayan, Shenal Dias, Anurada Herath, Wishwamithra Jayasinghe, Oshana Perera, 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, Sajith Saranga, Kaloucavuisireli (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, 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, 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, Anurudda 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, Gayan Weeraratne, D.J. Forbes (New Zealand), Tomasai Cama (New Zealand), Tim Mikkelson (New Zealand) and Gillies Kaka (New Zealand)