Tuskers look to gain maximum exposure at Commonwealth Games

The Sri Lanka Men’s Seven-A-Side Rugby Team will look to get the maximum international exposure when they compete at the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, England next week.

The 13-member Sri Lanka Sevens Rugby Team Captained by Srinath Sooriyabandara will leave on Monday with their first game coming up against defending champions New Zealand at the Coventry Stadium on July 29. “No doubt we are up against the World’s best, but our boys are ready to give their best and will hope to get the maximum exposure during this tournament,” Skipper Sooriyabandara told the Daily News yesterday.

“Our preparations have been fantastic, and the confidence and the fitness level of the players are very high ahead of the tournament,” the dynamic scrum half revealed.

“We will certainly do our best, but our main goal is to get the experience by playing against some top players in preparation for the upcoming Asian Sevens Series,” he stressed.

The Sri Lanka Men’s Team have been drawn in Pool ‘A’ alongside New Zealand, England and Samoa.

The Sri Lanka Team is sponsored by Nippon Paint, Signature, Webxpay, True Digital and was also backed by World Rugby and the National Olympic Committee of Sri Lanka. The Sri Lanka Men’s Sevens Rugby Team: Srinath Sooriyabandara (Captain), Nigel Ratwatte, Reeza Rafaideen, Buddima Priyarathana, Tharinda Ratwatte, Chathura Senevirathana, Adeesha Weerathunga, Anjula Hettiarachchi, Kavindu Perera, Dilusha Dange, Mithun Hapugoda, Sudaraka Dikkumbura, Dansha Dayan, Nilfer Ibrahim (Coach) and Rohan Chinthaka (Team Manager).