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| Sunday, 27 June 2004 |
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Sri Lanka has chance to beat Thailand by Lal Gunesekera Can Sri Lanka with home advantage beat Thailand and enter the second-round of the Rugby World Cup (Asian qualifer) at Longden Place on Wednesday (June 30) or will they succumb like in the previous encounter between the two sides. Sri Lanka, who beat India comfortably last week in Bombay, might be able to pull-it-off on Wednesday, but Pradeep Basnayake's outfit cannot take Thailand lightly. When the two sides last met at the 2002 Asiad in Bangkok, Thailand, trounced the Lankans by a massive 72 points to nil, but in the previous year (2001), Sri Lanka beat Thailand 46-17 at Longden Place in the IRB/ARFU Triangular. Earlier in the 2000 Asiad at Amori, Japan the Thais emerged victorious beating Sri Lanka 38-28. For Wednesday's game at Longden Place, Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapakse, together with the Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports, Jeevan Kumaratunga, will be in attendance. The game will be refereed by India's Sammy, while the Thailand contingent comprising 22 players and four officials arrive in the country on Tuesday night and will be accommodated at the Trans Asia Hotel where the official dinner is to take place on Wednesday night. The Thais leave for Bangkok on July 1 morning. The SLRFU will permit schoolchildren free of charge in the stands, while a seat in the pavilion had been priced at Rs. 100. |
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