Sri Lanka 7's squad...Radhika Hettiarachchi, Chanaka Chandimal, Mithun Chamil, Gayan Iddamalgoda, Fazly Mohamed, Rajitha Sansoni, Charith Seneviratne, Dilan Soysa, Lakith Perera, Prabath Jayalath and Milinda Jayasinghe, Saliya Handapangoda Gayan Ratnayake ,Ashen Karathelis, Dinusha Chaturanga, Ishan Noor, Lasintha De Costa, Reza Mubarak, Vishwa Mithra Jayasinghe, Dhanushka Perera and Srinath Sooriyabandara, Thusitha Somathilake, Pradeep Liyanage, Gayan Weeraratne, Saliya Kumara, Mohamed Sheriff, Sanjeewa Jayasinghe, Fazil Marija, Sajith Saranga, Roshan Weeraratne, Chamara Vithanage, Kasun De Silva, Dilip Selvam and Dharshana Ethipola, Nuwan Hettiarachchi, Niranjan Wickramaratne, Chula Susantha, Ravindra Pushpakumara, Kalana Amarasinghe, Romesh Archirige, Devinda Prasad (Isipathana), Mayura Sanjeewa (St. Josephs) Shenal Dias, Sandun Herath, Dhanushka Ranjan, Banuka Nanayakkara and Keith Gurusinghe (all from St Peters), Anurudhdha Wilwara, Shaveen Kapuwatte, Sudharshana Muthuthantri (S. Thomas’), Shehan Pathirana (Royal) Kanchana Ramanayake (Trinity) Chethiya Wadugodapitiya (Kingswood) Christopher Jordashe will be the manager of this squad whilst Inthi Marikka and George Simpkin share the coaching duties.

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Wednesday, January 12, 2011

Gates open for foreign ruggerites

The 2011 year will undoubtedly be a unique one and the start of a new era for rugby in the country. The main talk of the town has been the introduction of foreign players in to the local rugby arena to boost the competitiveness amongst the local lads.
According to the Sri Lankan rugby football union the lower clubs which were relegated to the plate championships can field a maximum of two foreign players in the side (a forward and a three quarter). Namely Police SC, Army SC, Havelocks SC and CH&FC. The most significant factor about the club rugby scene in the country at present is that the flair which was evident during yesteryear is nowhere to be seen. Though the rivalry still remains, the attachment from spectators to the clubs are fading away.
According to the secretary of the SLRFU Shane Dullewe, one of the main reasons the club scene will be injected with foreign blood is to attract the crowds and to create the excitement which is not seen during recent times. It was not so long ago that the foreign players stole headlines in the local arena and players in the mould of Tongans Joseph Waka and and Alex Taka stole the limelight. The first ever Foreigners to play club rugby in the country were Fijians Jalasi Radrardo and Apisi Nagata who represented the club from Maitland Crescent.
Army SC too carried their weight around with some big Kenyans in their side in the form of Lock forward Edwin Shimanga and centre Pascal Watuheha who played in the year 2003. Kandy coach and number eight Tavita Tulaga was also another well-known foreign player and coach. He coached Kandy SC in the year 2003 to end as champs under the captaincy of Nalaka Weerakkody, Sajith Mallikarachchi and Radhika Hettiarachchi. He also played his part in the famous 2001 Royal College team as the senior coach which was captained by Zulki Hameed.
The most recent out of the foreign players that have set foot in the Island has been the controversial CH&FC center three quarter Jimmy Bolokoro who played his last match in the year 2007.
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