SLR name squad of 28 for Asian Games 2026 and Asian Rugby 7s Series 2026
View(s):Sri Lanka Rugby (SLR) has named a preliminary Sevens squad of 28 players targeting two upcoming regional events – the Asian Games 2026 and the Asian Rugby 7s Series 2026 – set to be held between mid-August and mid-October.
Sri Lanka’s first assignment will be the first leg of the Asia Rugby Emirates 7s Series to be held in China on August 15 and 16. Before the second leg, which is set to take place on October 17 and 18 at the Racecourse ground in Colombo, Sri Lanka will appear in the Asian Games 2026 to be held in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan from September 19 to October 4, where Rugby 7s are slotted to take place at the Paloma Mizuho Stadium from October 1 to 3.
Veteran Srinath Sooriyabandara stands out as Sri Lanka's premier 7s player among the lot - File pic
Among the 28 players named in the squad, seasoned Sevens campaigners Srinath Sooriyabandara, Kavindu Perera, Akash Madushanka and Dinal Ekanayake are tipped to reach the final squad, which could be shuffled according to the situation. Others in the squad are Janindu Dilshan, Ravindu Anjula, Gamunu Chethiya, Chathura Soysa, Gayan Perera, Chemod Muthunayake, Aaron Corera, Diluksha Dange, Jayathu Rajaratne, Denuwan Wickramarachchi, Devinda Ratnayake, Suranga Tennakoon, Maliksha Perera, Isuru Kongahawatta, Arosh Ratnayake, Naveen Marasinghe, Janith Marasinghe, Kavindu de Costa, Oliver Buckle, Aruna Perera, Shenal Uyangoda, Dimuth Perera, Ramitha Himasha and Koojana Kulatunga.
Though majority of these players are also in the 15s setup, Srinath Sooriyabandara, Devindha Ratnayake, Gayan Perera, Kavindu Perera, Chathura Zoysa, Kavindu de Costa and Rinesh Silva have officially informed SLR that their commitment and concentration would be only on the Sevens format.
Sri Lanka, currently placed third in Asia following the 2025 series, will be keen to upgrade their standings above top ranked Hong Kong and Japan, both placed first and second with equal points of 38 each. Sri Lanka is placed third among 12 Asian nations with 30 points, followed by China, UAE, Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, South Korea, Philippines, Uzbekistan and Chinese Taipei.
In the previous edition of Asian Games 2022, held between September 24 and 26 in 2023 in Hangzhou, China, Sri Lanka was placed overall 10th among 13 nations, as Hong Kong won the gold medal, ahead of silver medalists South Korea and Japan, who claimed the bronze medal. Sri Lanka competed under the Olympic Committee of Asia (OCA) flag as SLR was serving a suspension during the phase.