Rain and lightning force early shutdown as Tuskers seek Cup semi-final slot
The Sri Lanka men’s sevens team excelled in Pool ‘C’ of the Asia Rugby Emirates Men’s Sevens Series 2025, despite the last three matches being hampered by heavy rain and thundering at the Racecourse ground in Colombo last night. Sri Lanka’s scheduled match against China was postponed and will now be played this morning, as the team looks to complete its pool stage campaign with strong performances.
Play did not resume after the halftime of the Pool ‘B’ match between Japan and the United Arab Emirates, with the former leading at 33-0. The Pool ‘C’ game between Uzbekistan and Singapore, which was soon to follow, will also be played today after the first day’s play was abandoned. To accommodate the unfinished fixtures, today’s matches will kick off at 9:00am instead of the scheduled 10:00am start.
Srinath Sooriyabandara’s return bolstered Sri Lanka’s performances in front of the home crown - Pic by M.A. Pushpa Kumara
Earlier, Sri Lanka secured two crucial victories in Pool ‘C’, defeating Uzbekistan 26-14 and Singapore 22-5. Srinath Sooriyabandara was the key performer, scoring three tries across both games and adding three conversions. Other key contributors included Dinal Ekanayake, Heshan Jansen, Gayan Perera, Chathura Soysa, Janindu Dilshan, Diluksha Dange, and Suranga Tennakoon, with Janindu Dilshan receiving a yellow card in the Singapore match.
These results placed Sri Lanka second in Pool ‘C’, with two wins from two matches, scoring a total of 48 points while conceding 19, giving them a positive difference of 29. China still leads the pool with two wins from two games, including a 24-0 win over Sri Lanka and a 31-0 victory against Uzbekistan. Singapore and Uzbekistan remain winless after one loss each. Sri Lanka’s disciplined defence, structured attack, and speed on the flanks have strengthened their chances of advancing to the Cup Quarterfinals, where they could face the top teams from other pools.
Hong Kong China dominated Pool ‘A’, defeating Philippines 33-12, Malaysia 38-10, and South Korea by a massive 50-0. Thailand leads Pool ‘B’ with wins over Japan 47-0, UAE 17-5, and Chinese Taipei 26-12, while Japan recorded a strong 68-0 win over Chinese Taipei and held a 33-0 halftime lead against UAE. Other results included the Philippines defeating Malaysia 26-14 and Korea overcoming Malaysia 17-14.
Sri Lanka now prepares to complete its remaining Pool C fixtures this morning, aiming to challenge the unbeaten China side. With a combination of tactical awareness, accurate kicking, and speed across the field, the team is well positioned to make a strong push for the semifinals of the tournament.