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Expectation is high on Kevin Dixons team to bring the Asian Rugby Sevens 2016 home
Thailand edge out Hong Kong in Women's final
Reza Rafaideen on attack against Japan
By Shamseer Jaleel
The confident-looking Sri Lankan Under 20 rugby outfit led by Kevin Dixon will leave for Hong Kong next week in order to regain the Second Asian Youth Under 20 Rugby sevens which will be worked off at the Kings Park Grounds in Hong Kong on 12 and 13 August.
Sri Lanka ended as the champions in the first leg of the sevens which concluded in Malaysia last weekend, thus collecting 14 maximum points, and will kick off with an advantage over the other seven teams in the competition.
Korea was placed second and Japan secured number 3 position at the first leg will be hoping to claim back the number 1 position at this two leg event. But Japan pulled out of the second leg which gives Sri Lanka much more hopes for the second leg plus to end as the champions at this level for the very first time in the country’s 100-year-old rugby history.
Sri Lanka is likely to retain the same squad for Hong Kong as well which is coached by Sudath Sampath. Sri Lanka will feature in Pool A alongside with Malaysia, Taipei and Thailand while Pool B will consists of Hong Kong, Korea, UAE and Singapore. The Women’s segment will be worked off between Hong Kong and Thailand.
Sri Lanka will play Taipei (10/30 a. m. sl), Thailand (12/38 p.m. sl) and Malaysia (3/08 p.m. sl) on the opening day of the tournament and will move on to the knock out stages on day 2.
Men’s
Pool A: Sri Lanka, Malaysia, Thailand, Taipei
Pool B: Korea, Hong Kong, UAE, Singapore
Women’s
Hong Kong and Thailand
By Shamseer Jaleel
Former Vidyartha skipper and Navy and CR&FC player Jason Dissanayake signed with Kandy for the 2016/2017 rugby season. He signed his contract yesterday in Colombo.
Jason led his school in 2012 before going on to represent the sailors in club rugby. He then moved to the Longdon Place club. He has been a regular national Fifteens and Sevens player since 2013. He showed his class in the Olympic Qualification Sevens tournament in Monaco two months ago, scoring a number of tries for Sri Lanka. Dissanayake will join Danushka Ranjan and Kanchana Ramanayake at the up-country club.
