- Led by Kevin Dixon, Sri Lions will play their maiden ‘A’ Div. season in 2024/’25
After a long hiatus, the local club rugby scene in the island nation will see a new entrant to the top flight of the Inter-Club Rugby League with the latest club to join the fray: Sri Lions Rugby, who will be playing their maiden ‘A’ Division tournament in the 2024/’25 season starting in November this year.
The team will be led under the captaincy of former Peterite Kevin ‘Kutty’ Dixon, who donned the national Tuskers jersey as well as Havelocks and CR & FC colours. Dixon will be ably assisted by two former national players as co-vice captains; namely, veteran ex-Vidyartha and CR & FC flanker Chanaka Chandimal and ex-Wesley and Havelocks flanker Shehan Dias.
Former St. Peter’s and Havies player and World Rugby Level III Coach Rajeew Perera will head the coaching department at Sri Lions Rugby along with former Science College player and coach Amila Chathuranga as his deputy.
Ex-CR & FC, CH & FC, and Colombo Lions American football player Kalindu Kariyawasam will head the Strength and Conditioning (S&C) Department.
Former Sri Lanka Women’s Rugby Skipper Sujani Rathnayake has been appointed as Manager of the team. This move speaks volumes as Rathnayake now becomes the second female manager of a top division rugby team in Sri Lanka, the first being CH & FC Manager Udani Edirisinghe. Veteran coach Sudath Sampath will function as an advisor.
Meanwhile, the club has contracted 27 players so far for the 2024/’25 season, out of which 12 players have donned the national jersey in either 7s or 15s formats. The Sri Lions will play alongside the eight traditional clubs in the top division – reigning champions CR & FC, Kandy SC, Havelocks, CH & FC, Army SC, Navy SC, Police SC, and Air Force SC.
The Sri Lions had a fairytale outing last season in the ‘B’ Division Inter-Club Tournament where they trounced Police Griffins in the finals in their maiden rugby 15s league tournament in Sri Lanka.
Meanwhile, the Sri Lions held their inaugural Annual General Meeting (AGM) in Colombo recently where former Fiji and UAE rugby star Epeli Davetawalu attended as the Guest of Honour.
The following are the new appointments that were made at the inaugural Sri Lions (Sri Lanka) AGM:
Founder/President: Dr. Kelum Sujith Perera
Vice Presidents: Diana Oshadhi and Kemith Lindula
General Secretary: Channa Thilakarathne
Assistant Secretary: Thiviru Gunathilaka
Director – HR: Prasadhika Sewwandi
Director – Finance and Strategy: Sujith Punchihewa
Director – Investments: Chamara Geeth
Director – Events: Savith Oshadha
Director – Sports: Rajeew Perera
Manager – Sports: Chaminda Ratnayake
Director – Rugby: Sujani Rathnayake
Director – Rugby Academy: Nalin Thabeeth
Director – Sri Lanka Netball: Darshika Abeywickrama
Director – International Netball: Akila Nimni Jayawardane
Director – Volleyball: Ranjani Botheju
Manager – Anuradhapura Branch: Telishiya Jayanetti
Advisors: Maj. Gen. Upul Kodituwakku, SSP Bimal Perera, and Sudath Sampath (rugby), and Thilaka Jinadasa and Jayanthi Somasekaram (netball)