Marija to lead Sri Lanka at Thailand Sevens

Fazil Marija

By Shamseer Jaleel

Sri Lanka’s men’s Sevens rugby outfit will be at full strength when regular skipper Fazil Marija returns to the touring squad for the Thailand Sevens, which will take place on 26 and 27 September in Thailand. 

This will be the second leg of the Asian Sevens series. Sri Lanka finished fourth at the China Sevens, where Sudarshan Muthuthanthri led the team.

The touring squad will be named today evening after the final training session at the Race Course rugby grounds, which will host the third and final leg in mid-October.

Rochana Hettiarachchi, Kavindu Perera, Jason Dissanayake and Dinusha Chathuranga will also stand a chance in the 19-man squad from which a final 12 will be selected today. Hettiarachchi was adjudged the top emerging player of the recently concluded, Inter-Club Sevens tournament. He also stamped his class at the Mercantile Rugby Sevens tournament. Sri Lanka will play Taipei (1.52 p.m.) and Hong Kong (4.22 p.m.) on the opening day in the group encounters.

 

Sri Lanka Pool

Kandy SC: Fazil Marija (captain), Gayan Weerarathne, Anurudda Wilwara, Lavanga Perera, Richard Dharmapala, Srinath Sooriyabandara, Shehan Pathirana, Nigel Ratwatte.

Havelock’s SC: Sudarshana Muthuthantri (vice captain), Sandun Herath, Dhanushka Ranjan, Dulaj Perera, Hirantha Perera, Rehan Thygarajah.

CR&FC: Kanchana Ramanayake, Rochana Hettiarachchi, Jason Dissanayake, Kavindu Perera.

Navy SC: Dinusha Chathuranga.

Pool A Kazakhstan, Singapore, Japan

Pool B Hong Kong, Sri Lanka, Taipei

Pool C Philippines, UAE, South Korea

Pool D Malaysia, Thailand, China

Dhanushka Ranjan will play a major part in the Sri Lanka Sevens team

The return of skipper Fazil Marija will boost SL's chances in the Asian sevens