Asia Rugby Emirates Playoff Match 2025 – Sri Lanka vs Malaysia Preview

The Malaysia and Sri Lanka Men’s 15s teams have been in camp to prepare for the one-off Asia Rugby Emirates Playoff Match to be held in Colombo at the Racecourse Grounds on April 19 2025 – with the winner earning the right to compete in the Asia Rugby Emirates Men’s Championship (AREMC) 2025 which also serves as a Rugby World Cup 2027 qualification tournament.

Update 19 April – Matchday squads and permutations

Malaysia (who we still stand by our previous reports are lucky to have this extra lifeline to compete at the top tier in Asia) have not won a game at the top level since they joined the Asia Rugby Men’s Championship several years ago.

In terms of the World Rugby ranking, Sri Lanka is ranked 40th and Malaysia is 50th. When they last played each other in 2019, Malaysia beat Sri Lanka 31-26, and the Malaysians (known as Bunga Raya 15s or the Hibiscus) also won 22-9 in 2017. Across all games, they have played each other 18 times, and Sri Lanka has won 12 times.

Malaysia Rugby (MR) honorary secretary Fahmy Jalil said in December 2024, when the news of the fixture first surfaced, “Sri Lanka’s current side is quite strong and playing against them will definitely be a tough challenge for us. We had about four or five naturalised Fijians when we last played them. The situation has changed now.”

Malaysia are on a 10-game losing streak in the Asian Men’s Premier 15s championship, in which they conceded an average of 60 points per game in the losses in 2024 against Korea, Hong Kong China, and the UAE. They played warm-up games against local sides, such as Dungun Rugby, Muamalat Bullets, and KL Tigers, in the lead-up to the Sri Lanka test match. Syarif Nurhidayat will captain the Malaysian team.

Several representatives were in attendance at a press conference a week before the fixture, which included: Sri Lanka Rugby President Elect Group Captain Mr. Nalin de Silva, Member of Asia Rugby Executive Committee and Chairperson of Asia Rugby Competition, Mr.Asanga Seneviratne, and Chairman, Sponsorship and Events Mr. Hassan Singawansa.

The Sri Lankan side has not played warm-up games, but the players are coming off the backend of their domestic season, and Nigel Ratwatte will lead the Sri Lanka Men’s Rugby Team at fly-half after his club side, Kandy Sports Club, won the domestic double.

Photo – Pradeep Dilrukshana – At the Sri Lanka rugby team jersey presentation (from left) Hassan Sinhawansa (SLR Events Coordinator, Group Capt. (Rtd) Nalin de Silva (SLR President-elect), Teshan Galhenage of Gordone, Shemal Fernando, Competent Authority SLR, and Asanga Seneviratne of Asia Rugby

• Date: April 19 2025
• KO time: 4:00 PM  (+5:30 GMT)
• Venue: Colombo Racecourse Grounds, Sri Lanka

Match Permutations – Malaysia vs Sri Lanka April 2025

• Sri Lanka will move up one place to 39th if they beat Malaysia in their Asia Rugby Men’s Championship 2025 play-off
• Defeat to Sri Lanka could see Malaysia drop out of the world’s top 50 – Moldova will replace them there if they beat Bulgaria.
• Malaysia will become the higher-ranked of the two nations if they win by more than 15 points in Colombo, jumping eight places to a new high of 42nd, and Sri Lanka will fall seven places to 47th if that is the case.

Match Officials – Malaysia vs Sri Lanka 2025

Asia Rugby confirmed match officials for the Asia Rugby Emirates Men’s Championship Playoff 2025 between Sri Lanka and Malaysia:

• Jaco De Wit (United Arab Emirates) – Referee
• J.P. Clement (United Arab Emirates) – Assistant Referee
• Aymen Jrichi (Saudi Arabia) – Assistant Referee
• Simon Dodds (United Arab Emirates) – Television Match Official (TMO)

Jaco de Wit will take charge of Sri Lanka for the first time.

It is surprising that such a crucial game has been awarded to Jrichi as it is his first time officiating an Asia Rugby 15-a-side international fixture (the first time for any Saudi match official to do so) but we wish all of the officials the best of luck.

Photo Credit – Malaysia Rugby

Sri Lanka Men’s Squad – Asia Rugby Emirates Playoff Match 2025

The Sri Lankan ‘Tuskers’ announced a 35-man squad which features players from domestic clubs including Havelocks, CR and FC, Kandy SC, CH and FC, Air Force SC, Police FC, Army FC, Sri Lions, and Navy SC. Kandy Sports Club were the Sri Lanka domestic Clifford Cup and league and has 9 members in the selected squad.

As many as 15 of the original 64-man squad were ruled out due to injuries, local media reported. They also commented that the final 23-person squad will only be announced closer to the fixture (likely on Thursday, 17 April).

Wider Squad

Malaysia Men’s Squad – Asia Rugby Emirates Playoff Match 2025

Malaysia’s coach is former national sevens coach Saizul Hafifi, who was appointed in March 2025.

The main news from the Malaysian camp is the return of two naturalised Fijians: Samuela Tamanisau and Etonia Vaqa Saukuru, who Malaysian media have heralded as vital to boosting their ranks. They have both been playing domestic rugby in Fiji, with Tamanisau playing in the 2018 Malaysian squad, and Saukuru featuring in 2022.

In 2024, the Malaysians had two naturalised former Englishmen in their Asia Rugby Men’s campaign (scrumhalf Harvey Preston and Lee Chapman), but neither is in the squad for this match.

How To Watch The Asia Rugby Emirates Playoff Match 2025: Sri Lanka vs Malaysia

Fans can watch the match on Asia Rugby’s official social media channels and RugbyPassTV.

Asia Rugby News 2025

• Asia Rugby Releases Partial 2025 15s Rugby International Fixtures Calendar.
• SANIX World Rugby Youth Tournament 2025 – Teams & Pools.
• Taiyo Seimei Women’s Sevens Series 2025 – Expansion And Exciting Signings.
• Indian Rugby Premier League (RPL) – Will The New Professional 7s Franchise Tournament Match The Hype?