Fazil pulls out but Naveen makes it into Sevens squad

By Shamseer Jaleel

Local rugby star Fazil Marija pulled himself out of the training squad for the Asian Sevens 2017 due to family commitments as his wife is expecting their first child this week. 

The Sri Lanka Sevens squad of 18 players left to Nuwara Eliya this morning for the training session which will run for 10 days before the team departs to Hong Kong on 27 August. Earlier a tour was to be arranged to France for the Sri Lanka Sevens team before the first leg in Hong Kong but it did not materialise due to a lack of sponsorship.

Former Vidyartha and Thomian player Anurudha Wilwara will also be missed on tour after he pulled out due to injury. The national selectors named some outstanding youngsters who did well at the recently concluded Sri Lanka Super Sevens, Mercantile Sevens and Asian Under-20 Sevens in Hong Kong. Naveen Heenakankanmge, Supun Dilshan, Adeesha Weeratunge and Wajid Fawmy will be among the 18 players going to Nuwara Eliya. Former Peterite and Kandy player Dhanushka Ranjan, who took Sri Lanka to second position behind Hong Kong in the Asian Sevens series in 2016, is likely to lead the strong 12-man squad for the first leg in Kings Park in Kowloon. The second leg will be played in South Korea during the third weekend of September before the final leg is hosted by Sri Lanka Rugby in mid-October. These three venues will host their last tournament as they have finished off their three-year stint. The outfit will be coached by New Zealander Peter Woods.