Sanath Martis, who successfully led Sri Lanka to the Asia Rugby Division I Championship title last year, has been appointed as the head coach for the Sri Lanka Tuskers for the upcoming three-match rugby series.
The Director General of Sports, Prof. Shemal Fernando, who is the Competent Authority for Sri Lanka Rugby, has obtained special approval from Sports Minister Sunil Gamage, to appoint a strong team to facilitate the smooth execution of these all-important matches.
“Having reviewed the current status of the team and the upcoming challenges, it was clear that Sanath Martis is the right man to lead the Tuskers once again,” said Prof. Fernando. “His experience and leadership qualities have proven essential in guiding the team to success last year and we are confident that under his guidance, Sri Lanka will perform resoundingly in the upcoming series.”
Sri Lanka will play three key matches starting with the Asia Rugby Emirates Men’s Championship Playoff against Malaysia on April 19 at the Racecourse ground in Colombo. This will be followed by two crucial matches against the touring New Zealand Under-85kg team. The first match will take place on May 4 at the Nittawela ground in Kandy and the second will be held on May 10 at the Racecourse ground in Colombo.
“This is a crucial period for Sri Lanka Rugby as we aim to showcase our team’s growth and readiness for international competition. We have carefully selected a strong coaching panel and support staff to ensure that the team is well-prepared for the challenges ahead,” noted Prof. Fernando.
Reflecting on the challenges faced by Sri Lanka Rugby, Prof. Fernando acknowledged the difficulties the sport encountered over the past year but emphasized the resilience of the team and the successful execution of the ‘A’ Division League Rugby Tournament.
“We have faced numerous hardships in the past year, but I’m proud to say that we managed to conduct the ‘A’ Division League Tournament successfully. It was no easy feat, and we had to navigate through various obstacles.
However, the tournament concluded with nine teams competing over 14 weeks, and from this, we were able to identify a pool of 60 top performers. This group will be analyzed and refined based on medical evaluations and performance analytics ahead of the match against Malaysia,” confirmed Prof. Fernando.
