Gayan Weerarathne returns as Tuskers take wing to Paris

The Paris World Games will get under way this weekend which is one of the biggest events in France. A 13 member Sri Lanka sevens team is set to impress the coach Peter Woods team as they will leave the island later this evening. Initially it was a 15 member team but unfortunately Nishon Perera and Dinuk Amerasinghe are still in doubt due to pending visa.

This tournament will be the preparation for the upcoming Asian Games next month at Indonesia. Sri Lanka could not claim a medal but finished 4^th in the 17^th Asian Games at Incheon, South Korea in 2014. However, the Tuskers have belief to claim a medal next month and the Paris games will give them a lot experience playing against some quality European teams.

Senior man Gayan Weerarathne back in the sevens squad, he played last in 2015 with tuskers shirt.

"It gives you a special feeling when you get the national shirt back and I hope to do well in this tournament and make Sri Lanka proud." Said Weerarathne.

Meanwhile, Coach Peter Woods said that their main focus is to win a medal next month at the 18^th Asian Games "For Paris we have youth and experience mixed team and hopefully we will get some much needed game time during the weekend"

"Once we arrive we will have Mercantile sevens in the third week of July and soon after that our prime focus will be on the Asian Games which is in late August.

The Squad

Sudarshana Muthuthanthri  (C) - CH&FC

Sudam Sooriarachchi - CH&FC

Nishon Perera - CH&FC

Naveen Henakankanamage - CH&FC

Danushka Ranjan - Kandy SC

Gayan Weerarathne - Kandy SC

Srinath Sooriyabandara - Kandy SC

Danush Dayan - Kandy SC

Jason Dissanayake - Kandy SC

Tarinda Ratwatte - CR&FC

Reeza Raffaideen - CR&FC

Kavindu Perera - CR&FC

Adeesha Weerathunga - Navy SC

Buddima Priyarathne - Navy SC

Dinuk Amerasinghe - Havelocks