Fijian Emori Waqavulugi fetches highest value of Rs. 4.5 m at player auctions

Friday, 18 July 2014 00:00 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

Rajapaksa juniors retained at last year’s value of Rs.11m and Rs. 10 m

By Shamseer Jaleel Fijian Emori Waqavulagi who now holds a Sri Lankan passport, fetched the highest bid of Rs. 4.5 million at the players auction for the Carlton Rugby Sevens held early this week. He will be playing for Western Warriors which is led by Yoshitha Rajapaksa. Navy SC and Sri Lankan sevens and fifteens player Yoshitha was retained with the side at last year’s value of Rs. 11 million. Same applied to Yoshitha’s brother Rohitha who Captain’s Central Kings. His value was Rs. 10 million.

The first leg of the Carlton Rugby Sevens 2014 will take place in Koggala on 8 and 9 August. Northern Gladiators’ skipper Fazil Maria fetched Rs. 3 million, the next highest bid for any player. Emori, who played in both the local tournaments in Kurunegala and Beliatta, was the highest try scorer at the Kurunegala leg. Joseph Dunn too will represent the strong Western Warriors outfit led by Yoshitha Rajapaksa. With over 300 players being auctioned in Colombo three days back with Danushka Ranjan and Kandy SC play maker Richard Dharmapala both fetching Rs. 2.7 million each, next highest to Fazil Marija. Former Petrite Dhanushka Ranjan who made his International sevens debut at this year’s Hong Kong Sevens in March was the highest try scorer in the second leg in Beliatta. 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 23 player in their playing squad. These two legs will be an ideal opportunity for the Sri Lanka sevens players who will take wing to Glasgow in Scotland for the XX Commonwealth Rugby Sevens which will take place on 26 and 27 July. Tournament Director Ronny Ibrahim told the Daily FT 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 40 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. Overseas players listing and the auction will take place early next week in Colombo. Sri Lanka Rugby Football Union (SLRFU) is expected to bring down some top overseas referees as well for this mega event. The second leg of the Carlton Sevens will take place at the newly laid down Race Course Rugby grounds on 16 and 17 August. Sabaragamuwa Stallions: Thishan Wickramasinghe (captain), Rajitha Abeyakoon, Andrew Benson, Prasad Devinda, Richi Dharmapala, Dinesh Kumara, Nalin Kumara, Gayan Liyanage, Shashan Mohammed and Dilip Selvam. 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 Eastern Eagles: Thusitha Samarathilake (captain), Chamara Dabare, Lahiru Gurusinghe, Gayantha Iddamalgoda, Arshad Jamaldeen, Shashika Jayawardena, Banuka Nanayakkara, Dulaj Perera, Mohamed Sherif and Rehan Thiyagarajah 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 Southern Sharks: Srinath Sooriyabandara (captain), Dinusha Chathuranga, Suhiru Anthony, Chanaka Chandimal, Dinusha Dayan, Shenal Dias, Anurada Herath, Wishwamithra Jayasinghe, Oshana Perera and Charith Seneviratne Jaffna Challengers: Saliya Kumara (captain), Rehan Weerakoon, Prasad Chathuranga, Darshana Attipola, Heshan Gunaratne, Saliya Handapangoda, Dulip Methruwan, Mekalanka Pramodaya, Asitha Ratnayake and Sajith Saranga 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 Northwestern Blacks: Niranjan Wickramaratne (captain), M. Abzal, Amjad Buksh, Musheel Faleel, Dilanka Gunasekera, Pium Jayasinghe, Pubudu Kodagoda, Chamara Kumara, Kavindu Perera and Heshan Kalhara 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 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.