Save the best for the last against Hong Kong?

Sri Lanka will need to over-come Hong Kong in an important    group encounter today

By Shamseer Jaleel in Causeway Bay in Hong Kong

The Sri Lanka Sevens outfit will keep their hopes alive in securing a final spot in the cup when they kick-off their Asian qualification for Rio Olympics 2016 at the Hong Kong Stadium in Causeway Bay today. They will face their biggest challenge in the last game of the day when they lock horns with hosts Hong Kong. A win here for either of the teams will help them avoid Asian sevens champions Japan till the finals. The loser will not only have the danger of meeting Japan in one of the semifinals but also could get knocked out without advancing to the cup finals. On present form, Japanese rugby is on top gear both in sevens and fifteens.

Sri Lanka will play against debutants Iran (7:36 a.m.), Malaysia (10:14 a.m.) and Hong Kong (3:52 p.m.) today and the last game against Philippines (9:02 a.m.) tomorrow in their group encounters. The men’s outfit will be led by Sudarshan Muthuthanthri where his leadership qualities will be tested fully in the sevens circuit with Matt Turner taking charge of the side.

The Sri Lanka women’s outfit will feature in the six-team event played against Hong Kong, Japan and Guam on the opening day and against China and Kazakhstan on day two. Thanuja Weerakody will lead the outfit with another England women’s player Kat Merchant taking charge of the side. The women in particular will need to put a brave effort in order to end in the top three.

Speaking to the Daily FT, Sri Lanka Head Coach Matt Turner, soon after a training session yesterday, said: “Our first aim is to claim the semifinal spot and work from there as the winner gets the Rio berth and the other three going to playoffs in June next year. As a unit, we have the potential of toppling the top two teams in this tournament.”

Sri Lanka Women’s Coach Kat Merchant said: “We are working on their skills and break down points. Girls are talented, will come up with a better performance in Hong Kong today. We will show more improvements in Tokyo Sevens end of this month which I am looking forward to.”

Hong Kong Coach Gareth Barber, knows about the danger of the Sri Lankans. “They (Sri Lankans) are very skillful players, like to play with width and move the ball quickly. We will not take them lightly. Though we beat them twice in the Asian series, this is a different game today, though Sri Lankans are not physical like South Korea or Japan, they play a good brand of sevens rugby,” he said.

Men’s

Pool A – Japan, South Korea, China, Singapore, Taipei

Pool B – Hong Kong, Sri Lanka, Philippines, Iran

Women’s

Hong Kong, Japan, Guam, China, Kazakhstan, Sri Lanka

Men’s squad – Sudarshan Muthuthanthri (Capt), Kanchana Ramanayake, Srinarth Sooriyabandara, Shenal Dias, Hirantha Perera, Fazil Marija, Nigel Ratwatte, Gayan Weeraratne, Anurdha Wilwara, Danushka Ranjan, Richard Dharmapala and Sandun Herath

Head Coach – Matt Turner (England)

Women’s squad – Thanuja Dilrukshi (Capt), Sandika Hemakumari, Randika Kumudumali, Anusha Attanayake, Nadeeka Munasinghe, Dulani Palikongange, Dasuni De Silva, Aysha Lakmali, Sandeepa Sandamali, Thilini Rangani, Sanjeewani Wasana and Sanjeewani De Silva

Head Coach – Kat Merchant (England)