Sri Lanka rugby team won’t be changed again, says Sports Minister

Sports and Public Recreation Minister Gamini Lokuge said that he will not change the 24-member rugby squad for the Asian Five Nations Tournament in Chinese Taipei from November 12 to 15, 2008 which he ratified on October 31 (Friday).

“When I met the national selection committee of the SLRFU on October 30 (Thursday), I informed them that I have decided to exclude Imran Bisthamin from the squad and asked them to nominate a substitute and they named B.D.N. Fernando who was a stand-by. They did not object to my suggestion and I ratified the team on the following day,” said Lokuge.

He said that the national selectors had so far not tendered their resignation letters to him and he would persuade them to remain in their posts as he feels that they are competent people who had represented Sri Lanka with distinction.

The national selection committee headed by Rohan Abeykoon told a press briefing on Saturday that they have tendered their resignation to the Sports Minister over his decision to exclude Imran Bisthamin and include B.D.N. Fernando in the 24-member squad picked by them on Wednesday.

Abeykoon said that they had sent the letters of resignation to the Minister by registered post on Saturday so that he will receive them on Monday and that they will stand by their decision to resign.

Meanwhile, the two South African coaches of the national team Dawie Snyman and Norman Laker who had objected to the inclusion of six Kandy SC players in the squad for not being fully fit had finally given their consent to include them according to an SLRFU official.

The 24-member rugby squad to Chinese Taipei

PROP FORWARDS - Sashika Cooray (CH and FC), Shamil Mohamed (CR and FC), Nushal Meepage (Army).

HOOKERS - Anuranga Walpola (Kandy SC), Achala Perera (CH and FC).

LOCK FORWARDS - Henry Terrence (CR and FC), Dinesh Sanjeewa (CH and FC), Ashen Karthelis (CR and FC).

FLANKERS - Dilanka Wijesekera (Captain, CH and FC), Nilusha Fernando (Police), Sean Wijesinghe (Kandy SC), Danushka Perera (CR and FC), Kasun de Silva (CR and FC).

NUMBER EIGHT - Dushanth Lewke (Captain, CR and FC)

SCRUM HALVES - Saliya Kumara (Kandy SC), Amjad Buksh (CR and FC).

FLY HALF - Ashan de Costa (CR and FC)

CENTRES - Gayan Weeraratne (Kandy SC), Pradeep Liyanage (Kandy SC), Lasintha de Costa (CR and FC).

WINGERS - Chula Susantha (Police), Sanjeewa Jayasinghe (Kandy SC).

FULL BACKS - Mohamed Sheriff (CR and FC), Radhika Hettiarachchi (Kandy SC).

STAND BYES - Kishore Jehan (Kandy SC), Sumedha Jayasinghe (Kandy SC), Tuan Shamrock (CH and FC), Shane Dissanayake (CH and FC), Reza Mubarak (CR and FC).

COACHES - Dawie Snyman and Norman Laker