KUALA LUMPUR – The national rugby squad is primed with their top-tier talent to take on South Korea in the upcoming Asia Rugby Championship in Incheon, South Korea on June 2.
Buoyed by their triumph over Singapore in the Causeway Clash at Johor Rugby Stadium yesterday, Malaysia’s 15s rugby head coach Farid Syazwan Abu Bakar lauded his charges’ performance in the resounding 46-7 victory.
Despite being a friendly game, Farid highlighted the significance of the match, which marked the team’s second outing after their recent clash with All United Rugby Boys (Aurob) at Universiti Pendidikan Sultan Idris (UPSI) last week.
While the match outcome wasn’t the primary objective, the encounter against Singapore provided invaluable insights for Farid and the Bunga Raya squad’s coaching staff to narrow down the squad from 34 to the final 23 players heading to Incheon.
“I must admit, the coaching staff and I are currently faced with the pleasant challenge of finalising our selection for the Incheon trip.
“Every player has shown full dedication and displayed hard work, all in the hopes of being chosen to don the national jersey.
“We now find ourselves in the position of selecting the crème de la crème. We’ll be taking 25 players to Incheon, with 23 securing official registration, while the remaining two will serve as stand-bys.
“Both Lee (Chapman) and Harry (Preston), our naturalised players, have exhibited stellar performances, showcasing skills on par with national team standards. Their progress will be closely monitored,” said Farid when contacted by Scoop.
Anticipating a formidable test, the upcoming match against South Korea poses a daunting challenge for the national squad.
Although Malaysia has been competing in the Premier Division of the Asia Rugby Championship since 2018, they have yet to secure a victory against South Korea.
Following this encounter, Malaysia will welcome Hong Kong to the Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM) Stadium in Serdang on June 8.
The addition of another contender, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), to the Premier Division this year raises the stakes for the team finishing at the bottom, with relegation to Division One looming.
“South Korea stands tall as an Asian rugby powerhouse, but we won’t be handing them any easy victories. I expect our chosen players to display unwavering determination, even as we play on their home turf.
“My focus is solely on the South Korea match. We’ll meticulously craft our tactics and playing style for the showdown in Incheon,” he added. – May 12, 2024