High-flying Tuskers end day unbeaten; set up India Clash on Day 2

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The Sri Lanka Tuskers ended Day 1 of the Asia Rugby Emirate 7s Trophy 2024 Men’s Competition, unbeaten, conceding just 5 points through their 3 games, setting up a clash against India in the Cup Quarter Finals on Day 2. 

Sri Lanka were overwhelming favourites going into the tournament, and they did not disappoint from the word go. 

Sri Lanka took on Kazakhstan in the first game. As they built it up to be a cracker, Sri Lanka soon scored 12 unanswered points to go into the break 12-00. 

The Tuskers pulled away with 5 further tries in the second half, ending game one with 43 points to the good, conceding none.  

Akash Madusanka and Skipper Tarinda Ratwatte scored a braze while Srinath Sooriyabandara and Hirantha Perera scored 1 try, with debutant Shahid Zumri too getting on the scoresheet with his first touch on International Rugby.  

Sri Lanka  43 – 00 Kazakhstan 

Game two saw Sri Lanka taking on Qatar as their afternoon got into the business end. Qatar scored once but Sri Lanka scored a braze in the first half as the game went into Half Time 12-05 in favour of the Taskers. 

The second half was a similar show as Sri Lanka pulled away with 5 further unanswered tries by the Tuskers, leaving Qatar in the dust and wrapping things up with time to go. 

Heshan Jansen managed a hat-trick of tries as Sachith Silva, Akash Madusanka, Srinath Sooriyabandara, Janindu Dilshan and Skipper Tarinda Ratwatte all got their names on the scoresheet in the second game.  

Sri Lanka  39 – 05 Qatar 

In the third and final group game, Sri Lanka took on Saudi Arabia. 

The Lankan Tuskers schooled the Saudi Arabians in the game, absolutely hammering them and scoring a half century. 

Sri Lanka scored 19 unanswered points in the first half as Saudi did not have answers to the Lankan attack. The second half took a harder toll on the Arabians as the Tuskers scored 5 further tries to make it 52 at the end of the game. 

Debutant Shahid Zumri, along with Heshan Jansen, scored a braze, while Janindu Dilshan, Tharinda Ratwatte, Dinal Ekanayake and Hirantha Perera all chipped in with a try each.  

Sri Lanka 52-00 Saudi Arabia  

With these 3 wins, Sri Lanka ended day 1 unbeaten with a point difference of 129 points. 

Sri Lanka are now set to face India in the Cup Quarter Final which is set to kick off at 09:47 AM Sri Lankan time.