Sri Lanka national rugby union team

Sri Lanka Rugby has a long history, dating back to the days of British colonialism.

Colombo Football Club was the first rugby club in Sri Lanka, established on 28 June 1879.[3]

The first recorded school rugby game was between Kingswood College, Kandy and Trinity College, Kandy in 1906. Rugby having been introduced to Kingswood College in 1893 by the founder of school, Edmund Louise Blaze, a former student of Trinity College, Kandy.

The nation's first "national" match was on 12 September 1907 and involved an All Ceylon team against the professional All Blacks (the New Zealand rugby league team) under rugby union rules on their 1907–1908 New Zealand rugby tour of Australia and Great Britain.[4] The professional All Blacks won the match 33-6.[5] The Ceylon Rugby Football Union was founded 10 August 1908. In 1974 it changed its name to the Sri Lanka Rugby Football Union.[3]

In 1932 the Ceylon RFU XV won the All India Cup at all India Rugby Football Tournament

Both the 1930 and the 1950 British Lions tour to New Zealand and Australia played unofficial matches in Ceylon on their way home.[6]

Mahesh Rodrigo, better known as an international cricketer, also captained the national team.

World Cup qualifying

1995 World Cup

In 1994, Sri Lanka entered into their first World Cup qualification tournament for a spot at the 1995 Rugby World Cup. They were drawn in Group A with Japan, Taiwan and Malaysia. After only losing by five points to Malaysia, they would concede 92 more points against the other two teams in the group to finish bottom of the group with no points.

1999 World Cup

In 1997, Sri Lanka participated in the opening round of 1999 Rugby World Cup qualifying. After defeating Thailand and Singapore in the opening round, they next took on Chinese Taipei and Malaysia with the winner going through to the third round. After knocking off Malaysia by 22 points in Kuala Lumpur in their opening match, they would be eliminated after losing to Chinese Taipei 31-27 which gave Chinese Taipei the spot into the third round.

The furthest they have made was to Round 2 of the Asian qualifying competition for the 2007 Rugby World Cup in France. The Sri Lanka rugby team performed above expectations during the qualifying campaign for the World Cup, and saw their world ranking improve from 68th to 43rd place, and its Asian ranking improve to fifth place.[7]

World Cup qualifying

2003 World Cup

2007 World Cup

Asian Five Nations and World Cup qualifying;

2008 - 2010

2008 was the first year of Asian Five Nations, which replaced the ARFU Asian Rugby Championship and the ARFU Asian Rugby Series. At the Divisional tournament Sri Lanka finished third, drawing against Singapore and losing to Chinese Taipei. The Chinese team withdrew from the tournament due to lack of visa availability and were relegated to Division Two.

In 2009 Sri Lanka again finished third in the Divisional tournament defeating Thailand (51-17) in the 3rd-place final, remaining in Division One.

Sri Lanka won Division One of the 2010 Divisional tournament beating Singapore (23-16) in the final, thereby winning promotion to the 2011 Asian Five Nations for the first time.[8]

2011 - 2016

Despite a drawn match with United Arab Emirates (13-13), Sri Lanka lost its remaining three matches in the 2011 Asian Five Nations tournament and finished last, resulting in its demotion out of the Asian Five Nations.

In the 2012 Division tournament the team won two matches but were defeated by the Philippines, which meant Sri Lanka missed out on promotion and remained in Division One.

At the 2013 Division tournament held in Colombo, Sri Lanka were successful in winning all three of its matches earning a promotion to the Asian Five Nations.

In 2014 Sri Lanka lost all four of its matches in the Asian Five Nations and were relegated back to Division One.

At the 2015 Division tournament held in the Philippines in May, Sri Lanka beat the Philippines 27-14 to become the champions of the Asian Division 1, resulting in the team qualifying to compete in a challenge match, in June, against the third ranked Asian team and a potential spot in the 2016 Asian Championship. Due to financial reasons, the challenge game was cancelled with South Korea remaining in the tri-nations division and Sri Lanka in the Division 1 competition for 2016.

In 2016 Sri Lanka finished second at the Division tournament held in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia in May. Sri Lanka defeated both Singapore and the Philippines but lost to hosts Malaysia.[9]

• Head Coach: Nilfer Ibrahim (2021-2022)

• SLR President - Rizly Illyas
• Deputy and Vice Presidents - Group Capt Retd. Nalin De Silva and Rear Admiral Udaya Hettiarachchi
• Secretary - SSP Nizam Jamaldeen
• Executive Director - Hamza Hidayathullah[10]

• George Simpkin (?-?)
• Willie Hetaraka (September 2006-?)
• Tavita Tulagaese (?-)
• Rob Yule (March 2007–August 2008)
• Dawie Snyman (August 2008–April 2010)
• John Carrington (2009)
• Johan Taylor (? -January 2011)
• Ellis Meachen (January 2011–March 2012)
• Ravin Du Plessis (January 2013–?)
• Inthi Marikar (2009 - 2010)
• Leonard de Zilwa (2014-2015)
• Tony Amit (?-?)
• Johan Taylor (2015–2019)

Assistant coaches

• Tavita Tulagaese
• C. P. Abeygunawardene
• Norman Laker (August 2008–April 2010)