The national selection committee, led by Sudath Sampath, and the coaching staff have announced the Sri Lanka 25-member touring squad against Hong Kong China in the upcoming Asia Rugby Men’s Emirates Championship 2025, scheduled to be played on the 22nd of June at Kai Tak Youth Sports Ground, Kai Tak, Hong Kong.
Experienced campaigner Tharinda Rathwatte will once again be tipped to lead the Sri Lankan outfit. But there aren’t any major changes from the squad that featured against South Korea except the inclusion of Kandy SC outside center Danushka Ranjan and Shaahid Zumri, respectively. The duo was sidelined in the previous clash as they were diagnosed with sickness prior to the game.
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Apart from them, Kandy SC gigantic prop forward Malitha Wijesundara has been given a national call-up again, obviously with the aim of increasing the pack weight. A week ago, the Sri Lankan pack struggled against strong and heavy South Korean forwards, and to rectify the matter, the Air Force front rower and occasional flanker, Shamika Kaushan also included in the 25-member squad. After these changes in the squad, Hirantha Perera, Dilshan Jayah and Chathura Soysa have been sidelined.
Though Sri Lanka displayed a heroic and spirited performance against South Korea in a losing course, they have a massive challenge ahead to tackle the world’s 23rd-ranked team in their own backyard. Hong Kong has prepared well for the tournament by holding camps with the Brumbies in Australia in April and in Japan, where they played a Japan XV side.
It is no secret that the Hong Kong side is composed of expatriate players who came across top playing nations, and despite the result, the Sri Lankan outfit will gain valuable experience by playing against top-notch opponents in rugby.
The 25-member Sri Lanka Squad
- Naveen Marasinghe (CR & FC – Lock Forward)
- Tharinda Ratwatte (captain and Kandy SC – Center, Fly half)
- Danushka Ranjan (Kandy SC – Center)
- Dinal Ekanayake (Kandy SC – Wing three quarter)
- Vimukthi Gamage (CH & FC – Prop)
- Senura Perera (CR & FC – Prop, Lock Forward)
- Thanuja Jayaweera (CR & FC – Prop)
- Venura Kodagoda (CR & FC – Hooker)
- Thilina Bandara (Kandy SC – Lock Forward)
- Lahiru Thilakaratne (Police SC – Flanker)
- Dahan Wickramarachchi (Kandy SC – No. 08)
- Mohammad Rifan (Havelock SC – Scrum half)
- Thenuka Nanayakkara (CR & FC – Fly half)
- Shamika Kaushan (Air Force SC – Hooker, Flanker)
- Pasindu Bandara (CH & FC – Full back, Wing three quarter)
- Pulasthi Dassanayake (CH & FC – Hooker)
- Shenal Adikaram (CR & FC – Lock Forward)
- Mursheed Doray (CR & FC – Full back)
- Lasindu Karunathilake (CR & FC – No. 08)
- Tharindu Chathuranga (Kandy SC – Flanker)
- Shaahid Zumri (Kandy SC – Fly half, Full back)
- Heshan Jansen (Kandy SC – Scrum half)
- Akash Madushanka (Police SC – Center)
- Adam Gauder (from Australia, CH & FC)
- Malitha Wijesundera (Kandy SC – Prop)
Team Officials
- Rodney Gibbs – Head coach
- Dushantha Lewke – Forwards coach
- Lasintha de Costa – Backs coach
- Rohan Chinthaka – Team manager
- Sanka de Silva, Sameera Pathum – Masseur
- K.A.P Kiriella – Team Doctor
- Manoj Silva, Shafin Majeed – Physio
- Sampath Murugan – Support staff
