Suhiru to lead SL at Asia Rugby Division 1

By Shamseer Jaleel  

The National Rugby Selection Committee named former St. Peter’s College, Navy SC, Kandy SC and the current CR and FC Skipper, Suhiru Anthony to lead the Sri Lanka outfit at the Asia Rugby Division 1 Tournament, which will kick-off on April 30 at the Racecourse Grounds in Colombo.  
Meanwhile, former Trinity College Rugby Lion, CR and FC and present Kandy SC player, Tarinda Ratwatte will be the Vice-Captain of the Sri Lanka Team for this four-nation event.  
Further, the selected pool was reduced to 30 players after the second warm-up game, which took place at Longden Place two days back.  
The other participating teams - Qatar, India and Kazakhstan are set to arrive from April 28 for this event, which will also serve as the qualification for promotion to Asia Rugby Top 4 next year.  
The Sri Lanka outfit is coached by Sanath Martis with Dushantha Lewke as the forwards coach as well as the strength and conditioning coach while Nilfer Ibrahim is the back division coach.  
The Sri Lanka Rugby Pool (Subject to Sports Ministry approval): Suhiru Anthony (Captain), Kavindu de Costa, Thenuka Nanayakkara, Zubair Doray, Venura Kodagoda, Adeesha Weerathunge, Lasindu Karunathilake, Raveen de Silva, Manilka Ruberu (all from the CR and FC), Janidu Fernando, Faiz Abdulla, Azmir Fajudeen, Mohamed Rifan (all from Havelock SC), Lahiru Thilakarathne, Akash Madushanka, Hirantha Perera, Sachith Silva (all from Police SC), Charith Silva, Dushmantha Priyadharshana, Pulasthi Dissanayake, Janith Laksara, Hirusha Sampath (all from the CH and FC), Chathuranga Kudalige, Heshan Jansen, Tarinda Ratwatte (Vice-Captain), Dinal Ekanayake (all from Kandy SC), Nalaka Maduranga, Sudaraka Dikkumbura (both from Army SC), Stephan Gregory (Navy SC) and Shashika Fernando (Air Force SC).