A total of 138 local players have been included in the main draft by Sri Lanka Rugby ahead of the highly anticipated Sri Lanka Super 7’s series that is expected to kick off this July.

The star-studded Sri Lanka Super 7’s series, which was inaugurated by Sri Lanka Rugby last year, was a colourful display of the shorter format of the oval ball game where eight franchise teams competed for the title. The series was vibrant with the presence of overseas players from all parts of the world who brought in a whole new level of professionalism to the game.

Read More : Super 7’s coming to Kandy

This year’s series is set to light up July with the first leg expected to kick off at the Nittawela Grounds in Kandy on the 8th and 9th of July followed by the second leg that will be worked off at the Racecourse Grounds on the 15th and 16th of July.

In line with the Super 7’s series, Sri Lanka Rugby (SLR) has released a list of 138 players who will be available for the initial local draft for the franchise teams. The franchises will be able to sign the local players in the local draft and later bid for the foreign players.

The 138 players fall into four categories; A, B, C & D according to their skills, experience and abilities.

Category A

Category A consists of the players from the current Sri Lanka national sevens squad and includes the talents such as sevens captain Danushka Ranjan and Fazil Marija. Category A is expected to have the highest base price.

No Player Club/School
1 Jason Dissanayake Kandy SC  
2 Danush Dayan Kandy SC  
3 Anuradha Herath CR & FC
4 Sudarshana Muthuthanthri Havelock SC
5 Danushka Ranjan Kandy SC  
6 Richard Dharmapala Kandy SC  
7 Kevin Dixon Havelock SC
8 Reeza Rafaideen CR & FC
9 Kavindu Perera CR & FC
10 Chanaka Chandimal Navy SC
11 Omalka Gunarathane CR & FC
12 Buddhima Piyaratane   Navy SC
13 Nishon Perera Havelock SC
14 Samith Dananjaya Navy SC
15 Tarinda Ratwatta CR & FC
16 Fazil Marija Kandy SC  

Category B

The Category B pool consists of the potential Sri Lankan players and includes players who have worn the Tuskers jersey in the sevens and fifteens format as well as those seen as players for the future.

No. Player Club
1 Rehan Silva CR & FC
2 Kavindu Costa CR & FC
3 Sudam Sooriyaarachchi Havelock SC
4 Anuruddha Wilwara Kandy SC  
5 Saliya Handapangoda Navy SC
6 Sashan Mohomad CR & FC
7 Lee Keegal Navy SC
8 Sudarshana Dikkumbura Havelock SC
9 Hirantha Perera Havelock SC
10 Dulaj Perera Havelock SC
11 Ganidu Lakshan Havelock SC
12 Nalaka Maduranga Army SC
13 Suhiru Anthony Kandy SC  
14 Gayan Weeraratne Kandy SC
15 Shehan Pathirana Kandy SC  
16 Roshan Weeraratne Kandy SC
17 Wajid Fawmy Police SC
18 Adeesha Weeratunga Navy SC
19 Niroshan Fernando Havelock SC
20 Naveen Henakankanamage S. Thomas’
21 Taariq Salih CR & FC
22 Sithum Pieris Havelock SC
23 Mohamed Abzal Navy SC
24 Lavanga Perera Kandy SC
25 Thilina Wijesinghe Kandy SC  
26 Vimukthi Rahula Havelock SC
27 Radeesha Seneviratne Air Force
28 Sasanka Ariyaratne CR & FC
29 Thilina Weerasinghe Navy SC
30 Suranga Bandara Police SC
31 Supun Dilshan Navy SC
32 Nuwan Perera Air Force SC

View photos: Sri Lanka Super 7’s 2016 (2nd Leg) – Day 2

Category C

The Category C basket consists of the current club players representing the top tier clubs. The club players are divided into two sub-groups. A total of 48 players are listed here.

No Player Club/ School
1 Ruwan Kumara CH & FC
2 Janith Chanaka CR & FC
3 Mushin Faleel Police SC
4 Janith Deniyage Police SC
5 Thanuja Maduranga Navy SC
6 Gayantha Iddamalgoda Air Force SC
7 Surya Krishan   Air Force SC
8 Gayan Dilshan CR & FC
9 Buwenaka Udangamuwa Kandy SC  
10 Joel Perera Police SC
11 Oshan Perera Kandy SC  
12 Hashan Maduranga CH & FC
13 Asitha Rathnayake Kandy SC  
14 Sandesh Jayawickrema Police SC
15 Mekhalanka Pramodh CR & FC
16 Randitha Warnapura CR & FC
17 Chamare Dabare Havelock SC
18 Lahiru Lakshan Navy SC
19 Shermal Weerasekara CR & FC
20 Iranga Ariyapala Army SC
21 Senal Deelaka Havelock SC
22 Romesh Ramdas Air Force SC
23 Ramesh Fernanado Havelock SC
24 Vageesha Weerasinghe CR & FC
25 Shehaan Dias Havelock SC
26 Udaya Sanjula Police SC
27 Naleen Kumara CR & FC
28 Rashean Bandaranayake Trinity
29 Dinesh Lakshan Navy SC
30 Iroshan Silva Police SC
31 Pium Jayasinghe CR & FC
32 Sharo Fernando Havelock SC
33 Charith Seneviratne Air Force SC
34 Sandun Kodituwakku Police SC
35 Richie Dharmapala Navy SC
36 Bhanuka Nanayakkara CR & FC
37 Thilina Bandara Air Force SC
38 Dinush Chathuranga Navy SC
39 Niwanka Prasad Navy SC
40 Sajith Saranga Navy SC
41 Chula Susantha CH & FC
42 Suranga Pushpakumara Navy SC
43 Sandun Herath Havelock SC
44 Pramod Padmasanka Air Force SC
45 Ashan De Costa CR & FC
46 Gayan Wickramaratne Navy SC
47 Ashan Bandara Army SC
48 Ishara Madushan Air Force SC

Category D

The ‘D’ category will also carry the club rugby players and consists of a total of 42 players. The group will also include many of the under 23 players who are just fresh from the schools’ rugby arena waiting to make their entry into the professional sphere.

No Player Club/School
1 Ihthisham Jaleel Air Force SC
2 Kushan Indunil CR & FC
3 Asitha Punchihewa Navy SC
4 Ryan Weerakoon CH & FC
5 Faris Ali CH & FC
6 Harsha Maduranga Air Force SC
7 Ashwantha Herath CH & FC
8 Steve Dharmaratne Police SC
9 Vihanga Pivithuru Havelock SC
10 Udara Lakshan CH & FC
11 Devinda Prasad Havelock SC
12 Dinidu Thiwanka Police SC
13 Kosala Tissera Navy SC
14 Jero Dananjaya Air Force SC
15 Imanka Ariyapala Army SC
16 Udara Chanaka Police SC
17 Uthpala Edirisinghe Police SC
18 Shanaka Kumara CR & FC
19 Thisila Karunathilake CR & FC
20 Mohomad Rizvi Army SC
21 Isuru Jayaratne Air Force SC
22 Lahiru Jayatissa CH & FC
23 Priyantha Ekanayake CH & FC
24 Claude Chanaka CH & FC
25 Shaminda Udayakumara Air Force SC
26 Ranjan Baddegama Air Force SC
27 Eranda Weerakkody Kandy SC  
28 Kasun Rajakaruna Police SC
29 Shanel Maralande Trinity
30 Sakya Bandara CH & FC
31 Prince Chamara CR & FC
32 Heshan Chathuranga CH & FC
33 Madushanka Kasun Air Force SC
34 Udesh Madushanka Navy SC
35 Madusha Hapugaskumbura Army SC
36 Supun Herath Havelock SC
37 Ayesh Thiwanka Navy SC
38 Ravindu Soysa CH & FC
39 Salinda Chamara Havelock SC
40 Dilaksha Chamara Kandy SC  
41 Gotfry White CH & FC
42 Nirosh Udayanga Perera Navy SC

The local player bid will take place shortly upon the finalization of franchise teams.

Watch last year’s final leg: Sri Lanka Super 7`s Second leg |Day 2