Experienced Dhanushka Ranjan will lead the Sri Lanka Tuskers against the New Zealand Under-85kg rugby team in the second game of the historic tour at the Racecourse International Stadium in Colombo this evening.

The game is scheduled to get underway at 6:15 p.m. under floodlights.

Ranjan will take the captain’s armband for today’s encounter after regular skipper Nigel Ratwatte was ruled out due to an illness.  

Kandy SC centre Ranjan brings in wealth of experience and he will be ably supported by his clubmate Tharinda Ratwatte who is returning from injury.  

Ratwatte will occupy the all-important fly-half position and will also take over the kicking duties.

Coach Sanath Martis has named an experienced line-up for the second game with the inclusion of Srinath Sooriyabandara and Heshan Jansen.

The Lankans were comprehensively defeated 50-10 by the visiting New Zealand under 85s in the opening game of the tour played in Kandy last week.

The visitor will be looking for a whitewash while the hosts will need to play at the optimum level to challenge the skilled New Zealanders who have acclimatised to the local conditions since arriving on April 30.

A capacity crowd is expected this evening to witness this historic encounter and according to organisers the tickets for the grandstand have been sold out. Entrée for other areas will be free for spectators.

This is the first tour of New Zealand to Sri Lanka in over 70 years, despite the long-standing rugby ties between two nations.

It is reported, in 1955, a New Zealand rugby squad on their way to England, stopped in Sri Lanka and played a historic match in Colombo.

In the past 70 years, no rugby game had taken place between Sri Lanka and New Zealand in the country.

Meanwhile, the winner of the tour will be awarded the Sir Graham Henry Trophy this evening.