KUALA LUMPUR, April 4 (Bernama) -- The national men's rugby team are just one step away from retaining the Southeast Asia 7s (SEA 7s) title after storming into the final at the Jurong West Stadium in Singapore today.
The Hibiscus, as the national rugby team are called, lived up to expectations by overpowering Indonesia 31-0 and the Philippines 26-0 to advance to the final as Group A champions.
Malaysia, coached by Nik Safuan Ismade Nik Man, will take on Group B champions Thailand in the final at the Singapore National Stadium tomorrow.
"Overall, the group matches were tough and we had to fight hard for victory. It was thanks to our experience and tactics that we managed to overcome Indonesia and the Philippines.
"Thailand are a regional rugby powerhouse, so we must get our tactics spot-on as well as be physically and mentally ready. I hope the players will not slacken but give their best one more time tomorrow,” he said in a video clip shared by Malaysia Rugby (MR) today.
Meanwhile, the national women's 7s team created history when they too made the final after stunning defending champions Thailand 17-12 in extra time in the semi-final.
Nurin Hannan Abd Hadi was the star of the show when, with the score tied at 12-12, she skipped past five players to score the winning try.
Earlier, Malaysia advanced to the semi-finals as Group B runners-up after losing 28-5 to Singapore before bouncing back to beat Indonesia 15-5.
The national women's team, who returned home with the bronze medal in last year's edition, will have the chance to avenge their defeat to Singapore in the group match when they meet in tomorrow's final.
"The challenge awaiting us tomorrow is huge. We will be facing the hosts at their stadium, so we will need all our players to be as fresh as they can possibly be. Tonight, we will get them to undergo full recovery and prepare them mentally. Hopefully, they will bring home the gold medal,” said national women's team assistant coach Nazhim Shahruddin.
-- BERNAMA
