TEST RUGBY: Asia5Nations Sri Lanka v United Arab Emirates

23.04.2011
United Arab Emirates v Sri Lanka in Colombo (Asia5Nations)

Venue: Ceylonese Rugby and Football Club

Referee:

First United Emirates rugby team. Image thanks to http://www.arabianbusiness.com/uae-set-make-international-rugby-debut-395593.html

Preview
Much has already been published about this historic match. The United Arab Emirates begins a new chapter in Gulf rugby as they play Sri Lanka in Colombia. Once part of the Arabian Gulf Rugby Union, the Emirates is one of a number of new sides based on actual nations in the gulf.

No Previous Encounters but for historical purposes Sri Lanka did play Arabian Gulf once back in 2003, losing 25-48!

Sri Lanka Last Five
17.04.2010 v Singapore  W 23-16 in Singapore (Asia Nations, Div.1, Final)
14.04.2010 v China Taipei W 37-7 in Singapore (Asia Nations, Div.1, semi-final)
11.04.2009 v Thailand W 51-17 in Dubai (WCQ Asia R1; Asia Nations Div.1, Playoff 3rd-4th)
08.04.2009 v China Taipei in Dubai (WCQ Asia R1; Asia Nations Div.1, semi-final)

No GWC Rugby rankings

Prediction: Sri Lanka by 7 points

Teams

Sri Lanka

The 33-member Sri Lanka squad for the HSBC Asian Five Nations Tournament

Senaka Bandara (Kandy SC)
Chanaka Chandimal (Air Force)
Prasad Chaturanga (Kandy SC)
Lasintha de Costa (Ceylon Rugby & Football Club)
Keith Gurusinghe (Kandy SC)
Bilal Hassan (Ceylon Rugby & Football Club)
Terrence Henry (Ceylon Rugby & Football Club)
Nuwan Hettiarachchi (Navy)
Radhika Hettiarachchi (Air Force)
Ujitha Jayasooriya (Kandy SC)
Kishore Jehan (Kandy SC)
Ashen Karthelis (Ceylon Rugby & Football Club)
Saliya Kumara (Kandy SC)
Pradeep Liyanage (Kandy SC)
Sumedha Malewana (Navy)
Fazil Marija (Vice Captain, Kandy SC)
Nushal Meepage (Army)
Shabeer Mohamed (Ceylon Rugby & Football Club)
Ishan Noor (Ceylon Rugby & Football Club)
Achala Perera (Kandy SC)
Danushka Perera (Navy)
Yoshitha Rajapaksa (Navy)
Sathya Ranatunga (Navy)
Dinesh Sanjeewa (Colombo Hockey & Football Club)
Sajith Saranga (Kandy SC)
Charith Seneviratne (Air Force)
Srinath Sooriyabandara (Ceylon Rugby & Football Club)
Chula Susantha (Navy)
Eranga Swarnatilleke (Navy)
Gayan Weeraratne (Kandy SC)
Roshan Weeraratne (Kandy SC)
Sean Wijesinghe (Captain, Kandy SC)
Kasun Yasaisuru (Kandy SC)
Head Coach:

http://www.dailynews.lk/2011/04/20/spo02.asp

United Arab Emirates

15 Tim Fletcher (Dubai Dragons)
14. Sean Hurley (Dubai Dragons)
13. John Beeton (Dubai Exiles)
12. Duncan Murray (Dubai Hurricanes)
11. Steve Smith (Dubai Hurricanes)
10. Jonathan Grady (Dubai Dragons)
9. Stuart Quinn (Dubai Exiles)
8. Scott Kerr (Dubai Dragons)
7.Carl Von Rosenveldt (Dubai Exiles)
6. Renier Els (Abu Dhabi Harlequins)
5. Simon Osbourne (Dubai Hurricanes)
4. Mike Cox-Hill (capt) (Dubai Exiles)
3. Dan Boatwright (Dubai Hurricanes)
2. Dan Heal (Dubai Dragons)
1. Chris Jones Griffiths (Abu Dhabi Harlequins)
Replacements
Andrew Millar (Dubai Dragons)
David Vittes (Dubai Exiles)
Lloyd Budd (Dubai Exiles)
Ali Mohammed (Dubai Wasps)
Mohanned Shaker (Dubai Wasps)
Stephan Imbert (Dubai Frogs)
Head Coach: Bruce Birtwistle

http://www.thenational.ae/sport/rugby/uae-target-asian-five-nations-victory-for-new-era-of-rugby
http://gulfnews.com/sport/rugby/uae-name-22-man-team-for-asian-5-nations-rugby-1.796220