Ashoka Jayasena appointed as the Chairman of the 5 member Selection Committee

The Ministry of Youth Affairs & Sports recently approved the appointment of a 5 member Selection Panel for Sri Lanka Rugby headed by former Ananda . Police, Kandy and Sri Lanka Captain Ashoka Jayasena.

Ashoka represented Ananda College First XV Rugby team from 1984 to 1988 and while in school he had the privilege of representing the Sri Lanka school Sevens team which took part at World Schools Sevens Tournament at Roslyn Park, United Kingdom in 1988.

After leaving School, he joined the Sri Lanka Police as a Sub Inspector and was an automatic choice into the Police rugby team from 1989 to 1995. This period was also known as the Golden Era of Police Rugby as they went on to win the John Player Rugby league championship, Clifford Cup, Club Sevens Champions and Under-24 Champions in which Asoka was selected as ‘Man of the Tournament’.

In the year 1996, he decided to get an early retirement from the Police force and joined the Kandy Sports Club and played there for a decade until 2005. Ashoka led the Kandy outfit in the year 1998 and during his time with the Hill Capital Club they won many trophies including the Clifford Cup, Caltex Rugby League Cup and the Inter Club Sevens Trophy as well.

He also represented the Sri Lanka National team from 1989 to 2002 and was a regular member of the fifteen a side and Sevens teams. He went on to Captain the Sri Lanka team from the year 1998 to 2001 and toured to the Rugby Asiad in Japan in 2000. Under his captaincy Sri Lanka won the Asian Quadrangular tournament in the year 2000. He had a rare opportunity to Captain the Sri Lanka Barbarians team in 1994 and toured Malaysia at the International Ten a side tournament which had a good a blend of local and International players who were representing the local clubs in Sri Lanka at the time.

He was also selected to represent the Asian Barbarian team against Hong Kong and toured Singapore, Malaysia, Taipei, Hong Kong, Japan, Korea, Thailand, England, Italy, Australia, Pakistan. Kazakhstan and UAE in the capacity as a player and skipper.

President of Sri Lanka Rugby - Mr. Rizly Illiyas and his Council wishes Ashoka Jayasena all the very best and confident that his team will deliver the best for the National Team.