Nalaka appointed Assistant Coach for Youth Commonwealth Rugby Sevens

By Shamseer Jaleel

Veteran rugby player and present Kandy Assistant Coach Nalaka Weerakody was appointed the Sri Lanka Under-18 Assistant Coach for the Youth Commonwealth Rugby Sevens which will be worked off in Nassau in the Bahamas from 19-23 July. 

The Sri Lankan outfit will be overseen by former Police and Kandy player Sudath Sampath as their Head Coach.

Nalaka, who played for Kingswood College as a fullback, later represented the Sri Lankan youth outfit in 1995. He started his club rugby at Kandy Youth SC before crossing over to CR&FC and later on ending his club career at his hometown club of Kandy. He represented Sri Lanka in both forms of the game. His last assignment was at Anthony’s College as their kicking coach before moving to St. Joseph’s College to take up the junior coaching mantle.

Sri Lanka will be the sole Asian representative at the tournament after their success in Hong Kong and Taipei under Thomian Naveen Heenakankanmge. On aggregate, the Sri Lanka Youth team finished first to book Youth Commonwealth Games rugby qualification.