Kandy Reds Vs Colombo Blues battle tomorrow

Friday, 25 July 2014 00:00 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

By Shamseer Jaleel Trinity College fly-half and skipper of the side Tharinda Ratwatte will lead the star-studded Kandy Reds outfit in their clash against the Colombo Blues in their under 20-rugby encounter. The Colombo outfit will be led by Isipathana skipper Shenal Deelaka. The encounter which will take place on 26 July at the Racecourse grounds will be a trial game for this year’s Junior Rugby Asiad which will take place in Sri Lanka later this year. Some of the star players in the Lions outfit this year were selected. They are winger Lochana Girihagama, flanker Isuru Rangala, full back Saranga Gunatilleka, Rehan Weerakoon and winger Sanchana Shiek.

Also Joining the Kandy team is Kingswood skipper Asela Wijesinghe, their star winger Laikath Jaleel as well as Malith Priyankara and Pradeep Kumara, also from Kingswood. The Antonians who did not perform well this season as a team will have their skipper Neomal Dilan, Shenal Weerasekera and Partheepan Pradeep in the Up Country outfit. Vidyartha will have two of their players in the squad, namely Avishka Thilankara and Isuru Lakmal. The squad was chosen by selectors Nihal Viper Gunaratne (Junior) and Anil Jayasinghe and coached by former Kingswoodian and Kandy SC skipper Ananda Kasturiarachchi. The Colombo outfit consists of eight players from the triple champions Isipathana. Coached by Nilfer Ibrahim they were a very successful team this year. Royal Coach Sanath Martis and Nilfer Ibrahim are in charge of the outfit. According to reliable sources both Martis and Nilfer are expected to coach the Sri Lankan under-20 side with Tharinda Ratwatte, who represented the Junior Asiad last year, expected to lead the outfit. The tournament will be hosted in Sri Lanka in September with the likely venue being either Kandy or Colombo. Four teams will participate in this event with the winners joining the top four along with Japan, Hong Kong and Korea. The winner will book their berth for the Youth Rugby World Cup in 2015.

Kandy Reds squad: Tharindu Ratwatte (Capt), Lochana Girihagama, Isuru Rangala, Saranga Gunatilleka, Umesh Samarasekara, Dinuka Ratwatte, Shenal Walapolage, Sanchcna Sheik, Rehan Weerakoon (all from Trinity College), Lahiru Malliyagoda, Asela Wijesinghe, Niroshan Prematilleka, Janith Amerasinghe, Imshan Noor, Malith Priyankara, Asela Weerasekera, Kasun Srinath, Ishan Salih, Laikath Jaleel, Pradeep Kumara (from Kingswood College), Neomal Dilan, Shenal Weerasekera, Partheepan Pradeep (from St. Antony’s College), Avishka Thilankara, and Isuru Lakmal (both from Vidyartha College). Colombo Blues squad: Shenal Deelaka (Capt), Ganuka Dissanayake, Omalka Gunaratne, Sudam Sooriyarachchi, Rehan Romesh, Nishal Deshantha, Akila Perera, Chathura Dilshan (all from Isipathana College), Supun Warnakula, Umesh Madushan, Bhanuka Gamage, Nimshan Jayawardena (from Royal College), Lasindu Ishan, Prince Chamara, Prasad Malinda, Chathura Gomes (from Science College), Sithum Peiris, Lahiru Prasad (from Wesley College), Tariq Salih, Stephan Gregory (St. Joseph’s College), Shamri Burah, Kevin Dixon, Udara Anjana, Nishon Perera (St. Peter’s College), and W. P. Vishwawijeya (St. John’s College).