ASIA RUGBY CHAMPIONSHIP: Division 1

6 –9 May

Image thanks to https://www.facebook.com/PhilippineRugby

Philippine Sports Stadium.
Image thanks to https://www.facebook.com/PhilippineRugby

The Asia Rugby Championship Division 1 is being played in Manila.It has come as a surprise that this is the only ARC tournament that is not round robin.

Sri Lanka and the hosts The Philippines are the favoured teams. Singapore are always strong. Kazakhstan were strong a few years back but their standard has slipped.

Day two on Saturday will see the winners playoff for the Division 1 title whilst the two losing teams will fight it out to avoid relegation.

Games Day One
Sri Lanka v Kazakhstan

Referee:

Last Five Encounters
06.04.2013 Sri Lanka 49-18 in Colombo (WCQ Asia; Asia Nations Div.1)
15.05.2011 Kazakhstan 34-18 in Almaty (Asia 5 Nations)
10.11.2007 Kazakhstan 24-17 in Colombo (Asiad Cup)
08.05.2007 Kazakhstan 71-6 in Almaty (Asia Nations Div.2)
12.11.2005 Sri Lanka 24-12 in Almaty (WCQ Asia D3 playoff, 2nd leg)

The rivalry between these two nations goes back to 2002.

GWC Rugby Rankings
Asia Table: Sri Lanka 7th, Kazakhstan 8th

World Rugby Ranking Points
Kazakhstan 48.91, Sri Lanka 46.95

Prediction: Sri Lanka by 15 points. Score 41-26

TEAMS

The Sri Lanka 15s squad:
Randika Alwis (Army Sports Club)
Suhiru Anthony (Navy Sports Club)
Dinusha Chathuranga (Navy Sports Club)
Kavindu de Costa (Havelock Sports Club)
Shehan Dimithri (Kandy Sports Club)
Ganuka Disanayaka (Havelock Sports Club)
Sharo Fernando (Navy Sports Club)
Sandun Herath (Havelock Sports Club)
Kishore Jahan (Kandy Sports Club)
Shahsika Jayawardane
Fazil Marija, Capt. (Kandy Sports Club)
Jason Melder (Havelock Sports Club)
Riza Mubarak (Navy Sports Club)
Achala Perera (Navy Sports Club)
Dulaj Perera (Havelock Sports Club)
Lavanga Perera (Kandy Sports Club)
Dushmantha Priyadarshana (Havelock Sports Club)
Kanchana Ramanayaka (Colombo Rugby & Cricket Club)
Danushka Ranjan (Havelock Sports Club)
Nigel Ratwatte (Kandy Sports Club)
Henry Terence (Navy Sports Club)
Buwanaka Udangamuwa (Kandy Sports Club)
Roshan Weeraratne (Kandy Sports Club)
Dulanjala Wijesinghe (Army Sports Club)
Sean Wijesinghe
Stand by
Ashoka Jayalal (Army Sports Club)
Hirantha Perera
Rohan Theagarajah (Havelock Sports Club)
Reserves
Rahul de Silva (Colombo Rugby & Cricket Club)
Anuradha Herath (Colombo Rugby & Cricket Club)
Ganidu Lakshan

Kazakhstan Squad not available

Philippines v Singapore

Referee:

Preview
Singapore spent a week in Perth preparing for this game. They played Western Force ‘A’.

Previous Encounter
15.04.2012 Philippines 37-20 in Manilla (WCQ Asia; Asia Nations Div.1)

GWC Rugby Rankings
Asia Table: Philippines 4th, Singapore 5th

World Rugby Ranking Points
Philippines 45.57, Singapore 44.54

Prediction: Philippines by 12 points. Score 30-18

TEAMS

Philippines

15. Gareth Holegate (Alabang Eagles) 27, 3
14. Jeff Gregson (Broadstreet RFC, England) 26, 3
13. Timothy Bweheni (Alabang Eagles) 28, 2
12. Justin Coveney (West Red Sparks, Japan) 29, 16
11. Harry Morris (Alabang Eagles) 30, 10
10. Oliver Saunders, (Capt.) (Easts RFC, Sydney, NSW) 28, 15
9. Jake Letts (Alabang Eagles) 27, 23
8. Steven Howorth (Cornish All Blacks RFC, England) 24, 10
7. Benjamin Mudie (Alabang Eagles ) 24, Debut
6. Terry Carroll (Northern Outlaws, Noosa, Queensland) 23, 6
5. Ashley Heward (Burgess Hill RFC, England) 21, 4
4. David Feeney (Manila Nomads) 30, 7
3. Matthew Bellenie (Brighton RFC, England) 25, 7
2. Michael Duhig (Brothers OBRC, Queensland) 29, 17
1. Austin Dacanay (Tampa Krewe RFC, Florida, USA) 38, 22

Replacements
16. Masayuki Sekiguchi (Alabang Eagles) 33, 1
17. Philip Abraham (Abu Dhabi Harlequins RFC, UAE) 31, 10
18. David Robinson-Polkey (Maungarua RFC, New Zealand) 26, 7
19. Fred Morris (Pavours RFC, England) 28, 6
20. Christopher Anderson (Manila Nomads) 31, 4
21. Cleo Gomez (Gordon RFC, NSW) 26, 7
22. Daniel Matthews (Eastwood RFC, Sydney, NSW) 22, Debut
23. Alexander Aronson (CBRE Mavericks) 24, 8

Head Coach: Stu Woodhouse

Information thanks to Jake Letts, Philippines RFU
Team list from https://www.facebook.com/PhilippineRugby

Singapore Squad

1 Alvin, Ho Yao Wei (Wanderers RFC) 2 tests
2 Robertson, James (Singapore Cricket Club) 4
3 Leong Rong Xian, Reiner (Oldham RFC) 4
4 Muhammad Hasif Bin Azman (Wanderers RFC) 5
5 Tan Soon Heng, Gaspar (Bedok Kings RFC) 20
6 Lee Chang You (Oldham RFC) Debut
7 Lee Yew Loong, Gabriel (Singapore Cricket Club) 12
8 Julian Albert (XV Gaulois) 4
9 Roberts, Matthew (Wanderers RFC) 5
10 Nick Rose (Wanderers RFC) Debut
11 Mohamed Ashraf Nasser (Saint Andrews RFC) 7
12 Alexander Richard (Bucks RFC) Debut
13 Etheredge, Simon (Singapore Cricket Club) 3
14 Mc Feely, Peter (Singapore Cricket Club) 9
15 Mohammad Suhaimi Bin Amran (Singapore Cricket Club) 11
16 Kay Teck Yuan, Jonathan (Singapore Cricket Club) 1
17 Marah Muhammad Fahmy (Oldham RFC) 2
18 Mohammad Saifuludin Khalid (Wanderers RFC) 1
19 Edward Carne (Dorking RFC, England) 1
20 Graham Stewart (Wanderers RFC) Debut
21 Thomas Child (Wanderers RFC) Debut
22 Groen, Nicholas (Bedok Kings RFC) 10
23 Samuel, Lau Biyong (Bedok Kings) 3
24 Tiah Nan Hong (Wanderers RFC) Debut
25 Mickael Benkimoun (XV Gaulois) Debut

Management

Head Coach - Afeaki Inoke Unaanga
Assistant Coach - Forrester, James
Assistant Backs Coach - Mee, Casey Jonathan
Manager – Yazid Rosli
Head Physio - Walter, Joan Margaret
Physio – Sam Brennan

Adapted from http://www.singaporerugby.com/2015/05/s ... u2015.html