Ten teams vie for Royal Hockey League 2023

The fourth edition of Royal Hockey League (RHL) featuring 10 teams of past hockey players of Royal College will be held on Sunday July 16 at the College ground. Royal Lions, Royal Rhinos, Royal Tuskers, Royal Panthers, Royal Tigers, Royal Wolves, Royal Bulls, Royal Cheetahs, Royal Zeebras, and Royal Leopards will vie for the RHL cup this time. Each team consists of players aged under 18 to over 60 years.

The nine-a-side tournament, organised by Royal College Hockey Club (RCHC), was aimed at all the past hockey players, at both international and national level, produced by the school. This year’s tournament was sponsored by both old boys and owned by Royalists.

The IPL-style tournament, which is held after a three-year lapse, has featured 10 teams this time after players being chosen through an auction. The tournament started originally in 2013, but the second one was held in 2018 before the third one was held in 2020.

The 2023 RHL tournament director Shami Gajanayake said the tournament would immensely help to gather the past Royal hockey players just ahead of the school’s prestigious 18th edition of Blue & Gold All Island Hockey Seven a side tournament scheduled for August 12-13.

The tournament was the brainchild of former Sri Lanka national coach Rohan Dissanayake, who was the Royal hockey coach from 1991-2021. He brought many glories for the Royal College.

Teams:

Royal Bulls: Damitha Silva, Maduranga Boteju, Pasindu Senaratha (Captain), Nadun Wijewardana, Vidura De Alwis, Nadil Wijewardana, Hari (Vice Captain), Arumugam Segar

Royal Cheetahs: Manuka Pawan, Ashok Peiris, Rohana Jayawickrama, Gamini Chandrasekera, Mohomed Hanas, Kasun Sampath, Thineth Karunarathne, Manjitha De Silva (Captain), Lakshitha Perera (Vice Captain), Inupa Ranathunga, Athif Faleel

Royal Rhinos: Viraj Lakmal, Dinuka Edirisinghe (Captain), Nuwan Diwakara, Thushara Waliwatte, Falul Hallaj, Asanka Maduranga, Thisura Daksina, Nadil (Vice Captain), Thevjan Weerasekera, Thareen Weerathunga

Royal Zeebras: Anuk Kaveeja, Charith Wattalage, Senudha Weliwatta (Captain), Himsara Caldera (Vice Captain), M. J. M. Hisshan, Lithum Karunasiri, Manuja Gunawardana, Minindu Alles, Navod Gunarathnen, Sampath Subasinghe

Royal Leopards: Punsara Aravinda, Malith Dissanayake, Shihar Aneez, Sandun Gajanayake, Aloka Amarasiri, Thushara Hettihamu, Rasanka Wijewardena, Sachithra Malshan (Captain), Annston Annesly, Rivisha Marambage (Vice Captain), Geesath, Dilana Weerakkody

Royal Tusker: Sanjaya Mendis, Sasanka Gunewardena, Siyath Rajakarunaratne (Captain), Sihath Dasanayake (Vice Captain), Janath Wijerathna, Eranda Rajapaksha, Keshara De Alwis, Muadh Mueen, Riaz Mowjood, Muditha Weerakkody, J.W.G.Chiran Jasintha Kalhara, Uchitha Indeewara Wasudeva

Royal Tigers: Sharala Goonetilleke (Captain), Thaviru Alahakoon (Vice Captain), Vinol Dakshitha, Aakash Dashendra, Subath Gamage, Bhagya Goonetilleke, Athauda Senevirathne, Rukmal Jayasinghe, Noroshan Rathnayaka, Amila Thambavita

Royal Lions: Nandun Amarasinghe, Nadith Kudagama, Ravi Hettiarachchi, Chirayu Wijekoon (Captain), Shazin Ahamed, Shami Gajanayake, Chamara Samarakoon, Vimukthi Rajapaksha, Nalaka Wijekoon, Harris Arumugam (Vice Captain), Senul Liyanage, Kevindu Dharmarathne

Royal Wolves: Hashan, Suneth, Sandil, Rumeth, Shahin, Dulain, Dilan Kavinda (Captain), Lasitha, Inthikaf, Kalhara (Vice Caprain

Royal Panthers: Mueen, Lithira Almeida (Captain), Akash Wijesekera (Vice Captain), Nelaka Wedagama, Ranil Sri Chandrasekera, Binu Paranawithana, Yusuf Shihar, JB, Inaam, Hasnga, Rouzan