Tough task for Sri Lanka Sevens outfit in Hong Kong

From left: Kavin Dixon, Sashan Mohamed, Kavindu Perera, Jasen Dissanayaka, Dulaj Perera (V.Cap), Danushka Ranjan (Cap), Dinusha Chathuranga, Hirantha Perera, Danush Dayan, Tharinda Ratwatte, Omalka Gunaratne and Saliya Handapangoda

Sri Lanka women's and men's Sevens teams

Shamseer Jaleel reporting from Causeway Bay in Hong Kong

The Sri Lanka Sevens rugby outfit will face one of the toughest tasks in order to secure the semi-final berth at the Asian Sevens first leg in Causeway Bay Hong Kong today. Sri Lanka will play their first game against Taipei. 

Three of their senior players who are missing out on the first leg in Hong Kong will be back for the second leg in South Korea in the third week-end of this month at the second leg. Both Sri Lanka Women’s and Men’s will battle it out in the group stages at the Hong Kong Football Club grounds in Causeway Bay (Hong Kong) today.

Led by dashing, powerful, one of the most feared players in the Asian sevens rugby circuit, Dhanushka Ranjan will face an uphill task as he will have no time but needs to secure the semi-final berth for his country. 

Sri Lanka was placed number 4 last year behind Asian giants, Japan, Hong Kong and South Korea in the 2015 Asian Sevens. 

Speaking to the media Head of National Selection Committee Michael Jayasekera said: “Ranjan being one of the best in Asia with his experience we are very confident will take Sri Lanka to top. He will have his school mate Dulaj Perera as his deputy on tour. Under 20 skipper, Kevin Dixon and his deputy Omalka Gunarathne along with Trinity ‘Lions’ and CR & FC players Sashan Mohamed and Tharinda Ratwatte too will be making their debut at the senior sevens team.”

Sri Lankan head Coach and former England Sevens player, Matt Turner speaking said “A few young players deserved their places at the recently concluded Asian Youth Sevens in Malaysia and Hong Kong. The training time was cut short to one week but we got the best of the available time. He ended by saying “We are in one of the toughest group with three top teams, Hong Kong, Malaysia and us; we need to battle it out for the two semi-final berths.

Sri Lanka will today meet Taipei (11/54 am SL time), Malaysia (3/00 p.m. SL time) and Hong Kong (5/34 p.m. SL time) in their group encounters. Women’s outfit will meet Thailand (9/52 a.m. SL time), China (12/26 p.m. SL time) and Uzbekistan (3/22 p.m. SL time). 

Sri Lankan men’s outfit will need to win at least two group matches against Taipei and Malaysia to secure the semi-final berth. On record Sri Lanka have completely dominated in sevens rugby against both Malaysia and Taipei but the story against Hong Kong remains as a negative impact for the team even before they meet them. Sri Lanka always ended on the losing side against the hosts. 

Group second position end for Sri Lanka will leave in danger of facing the Asian Giants Japan who are very likely to have things their own way showing the dominance in fifteens and sevens rugby in the Asian region after their recent success in the Olympic games against New Zealand in Rio even puts them way ahead of the rest.

Men’s

Pool A: Japan, South Korea, China and Singapore

Pool B: Sri Lanka, Hong Kong, Malaysia, Taipei

Women’s

Pool C: Japan, Hong Kong, Singapore, Guam

Pool D: China, Thailand, Uzbekistan, Sri Lanka