All set for Carlton Rugby Sevens June 23 to August 3

By Sajeewa Jayakody

Sri Lanka's premier rugby tournament, Carlton Rugby Sevens 2013, will be played from June 23 to August 3 at three venues. The tournament is sponsored by Sri Lanka Insurance, as well as the State-owned institution as four sessions starting from June 29 to August 3.

Sri Lanka's largest youth organization, Tharunyata Hetak, under rugby enthusiast chairman MP Namal Rajapaksa with the supervision of the Sri Lanka Rugby Football Union (SLRFU), the Asian Rugby Football Union and the International Rugby Union, will organize the tournament for the third consecutive year, giving the country, the fascinating and vibrant rugby carnival.

"Sri Lanka, being a specific nation in sports arena, is looking forward to be a good rugby playing nation in the world. "I hope Sri Lanka can achieve that aim looking at the prominence given to the sport now," said Bernard Lapasset, the Chairman of the International Rugby Board at the promotional campaign at Racecourse Grounds on Friday.

This year's tournament, will include three foreign players, three elite Lankan club players and one under-21 school player for each team. In the First Leg, the local matches will be played in Nuwara Eliya from June 29 to 30 and in Nawalapitiya from July 6 to 7. Galle International Cricket Stadium, surrounded by historic Fortress, will host the matches of the Second Leg from July 27 to 28. The Third Leg will be worked off on August 2 and 3 at the newly-established modern rugby grounds at the picturesque Racecourse Grounds.

The teams taking part with the franchise owners for each team are: Southern Shark of Sanjeewa Wickramanayake, North Western Blacks of Johan Fernando, North Central Typhoons of Nissanka Senadhipathi, Jaffna Challengers of Lalith Heengama, Northern Gladiators of Ranjith Page, Uva Vipers of Ravi Wijeratne, Western Warriors of Chanuka Ratwatte, Central Kings of Ranjan Gomes, Eastern Eagles of Asanga Seneviratne, Sabaragamuwa Stallions of Nimal Perera.

Eastern Eagles: Shenal Dias (captain), Thusitha Samaratilleke, Heshan Gunaratne, Samantha Lakshan, Eranda Hasitha Weerakkody, Mohamed Absal, Randika Alwis, Luckith Jayasanka Perera, Prasad Chathuranga, Kavinda Ariyapala, Isuru Madusha Jayaratne, Gayan Ratnayake, Susantha Gamage, Suranga Pushpakumara, Danushka Pushpakumara.

Southern Sharks: Srinath Sooriyabandara (captain), Dilip Selvam, Dinusha Chathuranga, Oshan Perera, Chanaka Chandimal, Kanchana Ramanayake, Charith Seneviratne, Rajitha Abeykoon, Mohamed Sashan, Asith Wijesinghe, Radhika Hettiarachchi, Mohomed Saajid Shuail, Cload Chanaka, Danushka Peiris, Tuan Zalique Jayah.

North Central Typhoons: Pradeep Liyanage (captain), Anuruddha Wilwara, Shanaka Kumara, Roshan Weeraratne, Sandun Herath, Suhiru Anthony, Hashan Maduranga, Ashen Karthelis, Gayan Ratnage, Heshan Wimalaweera, Kumendra Dharmadasa, Suranga Aruna Shantha, Dhiron Warnakulasooriya, Tuan Ijaaz Bohoran, Iranga Dinushan Ariyapala.

Jaffna Challengers: Sajith Saranga (captain), Saliya Kumara, Eranda Ranaweera, Ruwan Padmakumara, Dulip Methruwan, Danushka Pushpakumara, Tuan Rizwan Meedin, Asitha Ratnayake, Woshan Mahawatte, MR Rizwan, Shahikala Udayakumara, Damith Udayanga, Keith Gurusinghe, Lahiru Gurusinghe, Dushanth Lewke.

Western Warriors: Yoshitha Rajapaksa (captain), Dilan Soyza, Bilal Hassan, Niranjan Wickramaratne, Migara Wijeratne, Thilina Weerasinghe, Gayantha Iddamalgoda, Chandimal de Silva, Rehan Weerakoon, Samith Dananjaya, Kosala Tissera, Jeevan Amaradasa, Niroshan Karunanayake, Sumedha Malewana, Hilmy Mohammed.

Northern Gladiators: Fazil Marija (captain), Mithun Hapugoda, Damion Ratwatte, Vishwamithra Jayasinghe, Darshana Etipola, Sudarshana Muthuthanthri, Ravindu Akalanka Dabare, Mohomed Rizmeer Jabbar, Duminda Nayakaratne, Rishan Premageeth Peiris, Radeesha Ranjan, Lahiru Weerasinghe, Tuan Shamrok, Dilanka Wijesekeara, Gayan Shashika Jayawardena.

Central Kings: Nigel Ratwatte (captain), Saliya Handapangoda, Nalin Kumara, Sasanka Ariyaratne, Jason Dissanayake, Lasintha de Costa, Kavindu Perera, Dinesh Kumara, Mekalanda Pramodha, Darshana Fonseka, Chathura Wekadapola, Ravindra Wekadapola, Wasamba Senarath, Emad Mohammed, Kasun Mendis.

North Western Blacks: Gayan Weeraratne (captain), Lavanga Perera, Nuwan Hettiarachchi, Lee Keegal, Mohomed Sherif, Niroshan Fernando, NKL Perera, Danusha Dayan, Prabath Jayasinghe, Romesh Acharige, Danushka Perera, Nayanjith Rajapakse, Udara Liyanage, Priyantha Ekanayake, Kasun de Silva,

Uva Vipers: Chamara Dabare (captain), Shehan Pathirana, Ashan de Costa, Sharo Fernando, Tharindu Chanaka, Mushin Faleel, Riza Mubarak, Chilanka Samaraweera, Upali Wickramasinghe, Sithum Chathusanka, Anjana de Costa, Aravinda Dissanayake, WSS Somasiri, Malith de Silva, Rohan Fernando.

Sabaragamuwa Stallions: Rohitha Rajapaksa (captain), Devinda Karunatilleke, Chula Susantha, Vishan Hewawasam, Richi Dharmapala, Pradeep Chandimal, Andrew Bradley Benson, Sampath Jayasinghe, Sahintha Lahiru, Banuka Nanayakkara, Niwanka Prasad, Shabeer Mohamed, Asela Dissanayake, Prasadh Devinda, Sathsara Basnayake.