Skip to main content

RUGBY: Malaysia will be tested against imposing China

NATIONAL coach Boon Hoon Chee is optimistic his young charges have what it takes to help the country regain its Division One status in the HSBC Asian Five Nations Division Two tournament which starts tomorrow at the Petaling Jaya Stadium.

The team, who will face a formidable China side in their opening semi-final, feature a younger, less experienced lineup with former national captain Nik Ismade Safuan Nik Man moving into an assistant coach role for the championships and stalwart brothers Khairul Azhar, Saizul Hafifi and Saizul Hafiz Md Noor either unavailable or doubtful for the tournament.

The team, who were relegated from Division One last year, are also down to three naturalised players with Asas RFC's Atunaisa Lacadamu out injured.

"Initially, I did have some doubts with the boys being slightly inexperienced at international level. However, after two weeks of centralised training I am confident this team have what it takes," said Hoon Chee, who is also coach of the Combined Old Boys Rugby Association (Cobra).

"The boys are in their early to mid-twenties and are all very eager to give their all for the country. The excitement level in (the training) camp is very high.

"I believe if the players stay disciplined, stick to the game plan and with a little luck, we will be able to beat them (China)."

Hoon Chee added that defusing the strength of China's forwards will be crucial if the team are to come out winners in the crucial opening match.

"We have limited knowledge about them. We have only been able to watch some recordings of their recent matches. However, I think it is clear they are the strongest team in the group.

"We know they have very large yet mobile forwards and will look to use the whole width of the field to play away from their strengths and tire them out.
"Hopefully, the (hot) weather will also help us with that."

Tomorrow's winners will play the victors of the other semi-final featuring Thailand and Iran for a place in the playoffs between Division Two and Three winners. The winners of the playoffs will win promotion to Division One.

The Division Three tournament, which is being played alongside the Division Two event at the same venue, begins today with favourites Guam to face Indonesia while India play Pakistan in the opening semi-finals. By Fadhli Ishak

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Ex-coach's jail sentence cut to a year

PUTRAJAYA: The Court of Appeal yesterday sentenced former athletics coach C. Ramanathan to 12 months' jail for molesting two junior athletes 19 years ago. A three-man bench led by Datuk Mohd Hishamudin Mohd Yunus unanimously dismissed Ramanathan's appeal against conviction, but varied the jail sentence of four years to a year, which was to run concurrently. Following yesterday's ruling, Ramanathan, 75, a former teacher, walked out a free man as he had served 10 months in Kajang Prison. Convicts get one-third remission for good behaviour while in prison. However, he will lose his pension. Hishamudin, who sat with Datuk Abdul Wahab Patail and Datuk Linton Albert, said the court found no merit to overturn the conviction. "However, in reducing the sentence, we considered Ramanathan's age and the long years the appeal has taken." Deputy public prosecutor Awang Armadajaya Awang Mahmud submitted that then High Court judge Tan Sri Abdull Hamid E...
2 comments
Read more

Govt Always Gives Emphasis To Sporting Culture, Says PM

KUALA TERENGGANU, May 29 (Bernama) -- Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badaw i said the government always gives emphasis on cultivating a strong sporting culture in achieving excellence at the international level. As such, the Prime Minister said, it was important to scout for young talents in sports. "I observe that the Malaysia Games (Sukma) has become one of the important platforms to do so. "In this arena, the potentials and skills of the youngsters can be identified for development so that they can achieve greater success in sports," he said in his message in the souvenir book of the 12th Sukma from May 31 until June 9. Abdullah said he was aware that competition in sports was very keen and challenging but this did not mean that Malaysian athletes were incapable of competing at the international level. "The fact is that we have all the characteristics required to be excellent. We must inculcate a strong fighting spirit so that we don't easily surrender,...
1 comment
Read more

Indonesia Choose Komodo Dragon As SEA Games Mascot

KUALA LUMPUR, April 26 (Bernama) -- Host for the 26th SEA Games, Indonesia has chosen the Komodo dragon as mascot for the 2011 Games which will be held in Jakarta and Palembang from Nov 11 to 25. The Indonesia SEA Games Organizing Committee (Inasoc), was qouted by Jakarta Post as saying that a pair of Komodo dragons, a male (Modo) and a female (Modi), were chosen in recognition of the Republic's conservation efforts to protect the dwindling number of the rare lizard. Modo and Modi were unveiled last night at a function in Jakarta, to mark the 200-day countdown before the games open on Nov 11 in Palembang. The Komodo dragons, the largest lizard in the world, only live on the Indonesian islands of Komodo in Flores, East Nusa Tenggara. On Jan 15, Inasoc unveiled its logo, a Garuda eagle, to symbolize the power and grandeur of Indonesia. Indonesia dominated the Games between 1977, when it first competed, and 1997, failing to top the medal charts only twice in that p...
1 comment
Read more