The Sri Lanka national rugby team will take on South Korea in an Asia Rugby Men’s Championship 2025 encounter at the Race Course stadium in Colombo this evening.
The blockbuster encounter is scheduled to get underway at 4 p.m.
The encounter is also part of the 2027 Men’s Rugby World Cup Qualifier.
With Japan already qualified for RWC 2027, four national teams — United Arab Emirates, South Korea, Hong Kong China, and newly promoted Sri Lanka — are now just three matches away from securing the coveted Asia 1 spot at the global showpiece in Australia.
The tournament runner-up will also remain in the hunt, advancing to a high-stakes playoff against Africa 2 for a place in the Final Qualification Tournament, to be held in November in Dubai, UAE.
Sri Lanka, returned to top-tier competition in Asia after a commanding 59–19 victory over Malaysia in the April playoff at the Racecourse Stadium. The Tuskers thrilled home supporters with an exhilarating brand of fast, attacking rugby — a performance that signals their intent in this qualification campaign.
Experienced Kandy SC fly-half Tarinda Ratwatte will captain Sri Lanka with New Zealander Rodney Gibbs at the helm as head coach.
Gibbs has been working with the national team for the past couple of weeks with newly appointed Director of Rugby Inthi Marikar overseeing the entire preparation for the Asia Rugby Men’s Championship 2025.
The 39th ranked Sri Lanka has fielded a strong line-up for today’s encounter to take on South Korea who are ranked 35 in the world.
Sri Lanka is scheduled to face Hong Kong next in the Asia Rugby Men’s Championship 2025.
