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by Lal Gunesekera

Sri Lanka who have now gained promotion to Division II for the Rugby World Cup (Asia Qualifying) are scheduled to play China and Hong Kong between March and May next year (2006). The Lankans have proposed to play China in Colombo, while the game with Hong Kong is likely to be in Hong Kong.

The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Sri Lanka Rugby Football Union (SLRFU), Dilroy Fernando, told the Sunday Observer that Sri Lanka after their win over Kazakhastan (24-12) in the "return" last week at Longden Place, are now ranked sixth in Asia behind Japan, South Korea, Arabian Gulf, Hong Kong and China. The International Rugby Board (IRB) has ranked Sri Lanka 46th in the world.

Sri Lanka will have to win both games with China and Hong Kong if they are to figure in the next stage (Division I) with Japan and South Korea, as Arabian Gulf are not likely to beat both the Japanese and Koreans. If this becomes a reality (Sri Lanka beating both China and Hong Kong and gaining promotion to Division I), they will play their qualifying games against Japan and South Korea during the Asiad to be staged in Colombo next year (2006).

Also, George Simpkin (coach) and his assistant (Chandana Abeygunawardene) together with the team management, apart from the team, must be congratulated for a wonderful performance so far in the qualifying rounds.

Sri Lanka has so far beaten India (54-17) at Bombay and Thailand (35-14) at Longden Place last year (2004), while beating Thailand (48-38) at Supunburi, Singapore (34-17) at Longden Place and Kazakhastan (24-12) in the "return" at Longden Place after losing to Kazakhastan (19-25) at Almaty earlier this year.

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