Asian Sevens Series Colombo leg 2018

HK Sevens 2019 berth at stake for Sri Lanka By Shamzeer Jaleel / Photo Credit - Lahiru Hirushan.

Sri Lanka Men's and Women's outfit will be all out to prove a point, secure a place at the 2019 Hong Kong Sevens when they lock horns in their Asian Sevens 2018 Colombo leg group encounters today at the Racecourse rugby grounds.

The last leg of the 2018 Sevens series will see eight teams from each Men's and Women's segment kicking off proceedings at 1/30 pm at the beautifully laid racecourse rugby grounds.

Men's who are currently on number 4 with the Philippines will need to get the better of China in the group match before overcoming Taipei to secure their semi-final spot. As Japan already in the World Series another two men's outfits will book their berth as the series points leaders. But the third team in the group Hong Kong outfit is a tough bunch of players where Sri Lankan Men yet to find a winning formula. A defeat here will mean Sri Lanka will need to face the acid test in the Semi-final with a probable Japanese outfit waiting to date us.

In the Women's segment China being already qualified for World Series another three spots are at stake. Sri Lanka occupies number 5 winning the plate champions at both the Hong Kong and South Korean legs. Japan is leading the series followed by China, Kazakhstan, Hong Kong, and Sri Lanka. This means Sri Lankan Women are in a must-win game against Hong Kong in the group encounters in order to qualify for the Hong Kong berth in 2019.

SRI LANKA Men's

Srinath Sooriyabandara (Captain)-(Kandy SC), Danushka Dayan (Vice-Captain)-(Kandy SC), Danushka Ranjan (Kandy SC), Gayan Weeraratne (Kandy SC), Naveen Henakankanamage (CH & FC), Sudam Sooriyarachchi (CH & FC), Kevin Dixon (CR & FC), Reeza Raffaideen (CR & FC), Kavindu Perera (CR & FC), Omalka Gunarathane %u2013 (CR & FC), Dinuk Amerasinghe (Havelock SC), Adeesha Weeratunge ( Navy SC)

Head Coach Peter Woods (NZ)

Sri Lanka Women's squad 

Sanheevani De Silva (Capt.), Wasana Weerakody, Thauja Weerakody, Ayesha Kaluarachchi (Vice Capt.), Ayesha Perera, Theekshana Liyanage, Dulani Pallikondage, Dasuni de Silva, Dilini Kanchana, Jeewanthi Gunawardena, Nadeeka Munasinghe and Kumari Dilrukshi

Head Coach Sudath Sampth

Men's

Pool A                Japan, South Korea, Philippines, Malaysia

Pool B                Hong Kong, China, Sri Lanka, Taipei

Women's

Pool C                Hong Kong, Sri Lanka, Japan, South Korea

Pool D                China, Thailand, Kazakhstan, Singapore

October 13

Men's

vs China            15/42 pm

vs Taipei           19/22 pm

Women's

vs     Hong Kong       2/14 pm

vs     South Korea    17/20 pm