KUALA LUMPUR – The national rugby 15s team is gearing up for a clash with neighbouring rivals Singapore, in preparation for the upcoming Asia Rugby Championship in June.
This was confirmed by the Malaysia Rugby (MR) honorary secretary general, Fahmy Jalil, who explained that they are currently in discussions with the Singapore Rugby Union.
The anticipated match is set to take place at the Johor Rugby Stadium in Johor Bahru on May 11, as details will be ironed out after discussions with the Singapore Rugby Union conclude.
Fahmy emphasised that Singapore was chosen as the opponent for the friendly match not only due to logistical considerations, but also because it is the sole country in the Southeast Asian region with a rugby 15s team.
“The friendly match will feature both the 15s and the 7s squads.
“I’ve been informed that Singapore will field their top squad, as they are also preparing for the Division One Asia Rugby Championship.
“We, too, are gearing up for Premier Division, making this match an excellent warm-up before our campaign begins,” Fahmy told Scoop.
In this year’s championship, Malaysia will face five-time champions South Korea and Hong Kong, along with new entrant United Arab Emirates (UAE), who have been promoted from Division One.
Since moving up to the top division in 2018, the Bunga Raya team has yet to secure a victory. – March 31, 2024