With the ARFU under 20 Asian championship around the corner, the newly appointed selection committee is yet to name the captain of the side who will lead the young tuskers on tour. The Sri Lankan team which is supposed to take flight to Hong Kong on the 23rd of this month (Thursday) still has not confirmed the final squad.
There are three ‘top contenders’ for captaincy namely, Sanka Rajaguru (SACK), Shehan Pathirana (RC) and Devinda Prasad (IC), while Banuka Nanayakkara (SPC) and Murad Ramzeen (TCK) also represented Sri Lanka last year. Sanka Rajaguru was named as skipper of Kandy Reds by coach Nihal ‘Viper’ Guneratne while he led the Reds in the 1st and 3rd chucker of the All star rugby encounter while Murad Ramzeen led the team in the 2nd chucker. However there was only one captain named by the Colombo Blues coach C. P Abeygoonewardene for the All star encounter which was Royal College skipper Shehan ‘Lema’ Pathirana.
It was an interesting sight to see that it was Devinda Prasad from Isipathana who led the Colombo Blues on to the field from the changing rooms before the selection clash held last week after their coach named Pathirana as the captain prior to the game. Prasad who turned up for the junior national team in the previous year played a vital role in Sri Lanka’s performance therefore was treated as the most senior player even during their practice sessions leading up to the all star encounter. ThePapare crew who were in close quarters when the Colombo Blue were at training perceived that Prasad was the top candidate for the job and would have gotten captaincy over Shehan Pathirana due his leadership shown at the training sessions. Having said that, Shehan Pathirana is a consummate leader who has led an average Royal College side to the glimpse of a league championship, winning all their matches in the league and remain as the only unbeaten side of the league.
On the other hand Sanka ‘Raju’ Rajaguru the other contender for the title has been in the national squad from 2009 and is regarded as an inspirational leader. The bulky number eight from Katugastota who started playing in the front row showed what he was capable of at the all star game playing at number eight and might be the surprise package skipper for the national team considering his experience in the national arena.
It is learnt that the junior national team will be training on three occasions tomorrow (20th June) at the Sugathadasa Stadium while also playing a practice game against the CR&FC in the evening. The selection committee who has handed in their final 28 for ratification from the sports ministry will have a tough job in their hands choosing the right candidate for captaincy.
The five man selection team headed by Chandrashan Perera who were appointed the day of the All stars encounter named a 35 man squad the same day and reduced it to a 28 man squad on the 19th of June. The five members who are all former national players are regarded highly in the rugby circles. Sri Lanka faces an acid test in their opener against the top nation in Asian rugby, Japan on the 26th of June.
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