SRI LANKA WIN PLATE BUT LOSE OUT WORLD CUP SEVENS BERTH
Sri Lankan sevens outfit led by dashing Fazil Marija won the Plate segment at the Singapore Rugby sevens which was the last of the sevens series of the HSBC Asian Championship for 2012. Sri Lanka after losing to the Koreans in the Cup Quarter finals went on to beat Malaysia in the Plate semi finals 21-14 and China in the final by 26-5.
With three teams securing their places in the Sevens Rugby World Cup 2013 in Moscow in June next year Sri Lanka were close but yet so far in the end. It was Japan, Hong Kong and Philippines who booked their berths at the RWC 2013 Asian slots.
Sri Lanka under their new coach Ben Gollings himself a sevens specialist for England performed really well from the kick off. Sri Lanka won the Bowl in Borneo and won the Plate in the last three outings in Shanghai, Mumbai and Singapore and ended on fifth position overall in the 16 team competition.
A strong second half rally helped Japan defeat Hong Kong 14-12 in a tense Cup final. Philippines edged out South Korea 21-19 to end as num-
These boys should be trained quite regularly, if not they will be a forgotten lot very soon
ber 3 and earn their place in the RWC in Moscow next year. In the Bowl championship Thailand defeated Kazakhstan 26-15.
Former Sevens sensation Hisham Abdeen who himself was part of the 1984 Hong Kong Sevens Bowl winning team and also for the very first time under his leadership Sri Lanka featured in the Sevens Rugby World Cup in Sydney 25 years back in 1987 said that this side under Fazil Marija was a great outfit. “They took Sri Lanka to the next level and regained the lost pride for Sri Lankan rugby. We did not come back empty handed from any of the tournaments this year. The SLRFU gave their fullest support, however these boys should be trained quite regularly, if not they will be a forgotten lot very soon” added Abdeen.
Secretary of the SLRFU Rizlly Ilyas who was at the HSBC Singapore Sevens speaking to ‘Daily Mirror’ paid tribute to coach Ben Gollings for doing an excellent job and moreover for being able to get the best out of the boys in a short period of time. “Fazil led the team excellently getting the best out of the boys. Unfortunately we lost Fazil in the Korean game which was a major blow” added Illyas.