Yoshitha will lead Sri Lanka rugby team

Sri Lanka Navy skipper Yoshitha Rajapaksa has been picked to lead the Sri Lanka rugby team at the Asian Five Nations rugby tournament which will be worked off from April 6 to 14 this year.

Rajapaksa led the Sri Lanka team last year with great success and was a source of inspiration to his team mates with Sri Lanka going down fighting to Philippines in the decider of the last year's tournament worked off in Manila in April 2012.

Kandy SC fly half and Sri Lanka Seven's captain Fazil Marija has been named as the deputy skipper with both appointments being ratified by Sports Minister Mahinananda Aluthgamage.

Sri Lanka will compete against Thailand, Chinese Taipei and Kazakhstan in this tournament with the venue still not decided by Asian Rugby Football Union with Sri Lanka also making a strong bid to hold this tournament.

The 24 member Sri Lanka squad will be picked in March from the 58 member pool which will start training from next week.

Last year's winner Philippines earned a promotion to the Asian division one tournament where they vie against elite countries Japan, Korea, Hong Kong and United Arab Emirates for the title.