Sri Lanka’s national rugby team will face Malaysia on April 19 at the Racecourse Grounds in Colombo in a pivotal playoff match to determine qualification for the 2025 Asia Rugby Championship (ARC) Premier Division.
Malaysia enters this encounter after finishing last in the 2024 ARC Premier Division, losing all their matches, including to newcomers UAE. In contrast, Sri Lanka secured their place by winning the ARC Division 1 title last year, defeating India and Kazakhstan.
The two teams last met in 2017, with Malaysia winning 22-9. However, Sri Lanka currently holds a higher World Rugby ranking, giving them a competitive edge. The winner of this clash will join Hong Kong, South Korea, and UAE in the ARC Super 4, with the champion earning direct qualification for the next Rugby World Cup.
Sri Lanka Rugby, currently under the governance of the Director General of Sports, is expected to announce the squad after the Clifford Cup Knockout Tournament on April 6. Former national captain and Kandy SC head coach Fazil Marija will be unavailable due to a coaching program in New Zealand, leaving Saliya Kumara and Nilfer Ibrahim as frontrunners for the backs coaching role, while Dushantha Lewke is likely to be retained as the forwards coach.
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