18 hours Ago By Thilina Walpola
Sri Lanka Rugby announced the historic visit of the New Zealand Under 85kg national team to Sri Lanka next month for two highly anticipated matches against the Sri Lankan team. This landmark tour comes in response to an invitation extended by SLR early last year. The two-match series will see the sides face off on May 4, at the Nittawela Rugby Stadium in Kandy, and again on May 10, at the Race Course Grounds in Colombo.
While Sri Lanka may not boast the same storied rugby tradition as New Zealand, the island nation shares a special connection with the All Blacks through Sir Colin Meads. Widely regarded as one of the greatest rugby players of all time, Meads played his first game in the famous black jersey in then Ceylon in mid 1950s, as part of the NZ Colts side. That link adds a nostalgic touch to this exciting tour.
The matches promise to offer Sri Lankan players a rare and invaluable opportunity to challenge themselves against a technically sound and tactically astute side from New Zealand—arguably the world’s most celebrated rugby nation. Crucially, the tour will also contribute to the continued development of the sport in Sri Lanka. Exposure to high-level competition is expected to equip local players with insights into advanced strategies, gameplay structure, and professionalism.
The Sri Lanka Tuskers will field an open-weight team, with one key restriction: all prop forwards must weigh under 105kg. Notably, the Under 85kg rugby division is not currently played anywhere in Asia, making this event a groundbreaking initiative for the region. Despite their weight classification, the New Zealand side is expected to deliver a high standard of rugby, with their trademark skill and tactical sharpness on full display.
The Tuskers head into this series in strong form, having clinched the Asia Rugby Division 1 title in 2024. Their packed schedule continues in April 2025 with a crucial promotion-relegation match against Malaysia, which will determine whether Sri Lanka ascends to Asia’s top tier. The New Zealand Under 85kg team, officially launched in 2024, represents a significant step in the development of weight-grade rugby globally.
Initial discussions with a national union about a 2025 overseas tour have now materialized into this exciting visit to Sri Lanka. Live coverage of both matches will be available on Dialog Television – ThePapare TV HD (Channel 126), as well as online via ThePapare.com and the Dialog ViU App.
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