No targets as Sarawak go for Perak exposure
Sarawak are fifi elding two teams in the NAZA National Sevens Rugby Championship
This is part of our preparations for Sukma XIX in Perak in September and I hope they will gain the much needed experience. — Richard Song Swee Jin, Sarawak Rugby Union (SRU) president
KUCHING: Sarawak are fielding two teams in the NAZA National Sevens Rugby Championship which kicked off in Ipoh yesterday.
They are the men’s U21 team coached by Nacani Seniu and the women’s U21 team coached by Sylvia Alexander Lian.
“We are not setting any targets for both teams as they comprise 80 per cent of Sukma shadow team players and are mainly going for exposure.
“This is part of our preparations for Sukma XIX in Perak in September and I hope they will gain the much needed experience,” Sarawak Rugby Union (SRU) president Richard Song Swee Jin said when contacted yesterday.
“We will be pleased if they can win a medal irrespective of colour and category,” said Song who admitted that it would be tough playing against the West Malaysian teams in the championship.
He said the opponents are highly experienced and established teams who enjoyed better facilities and support from the corporate sector, state governments and the royalty.
“For instance, the Sultans of Terengganu, Kelantan, Perak, Johor and Selangor are royal state patrons who provide financial support to state teams for many high-level local and international competitions.
“They also enjoy the logistics advantages like good highways and all major competitions are held there,” added Song.
“Whereas Sarawak and Sabah have to fork out a minimum RM50,000 to send a team to each Sevens competition. It would be more costly of we were to send 10s and 15s teams,” he pointed out.
Saying that Sarawak did not participate in the last Sukma held in Sarawak in 2016 as rugby was not included as an event, Song stressed that Sarawak are now rebuilding its teams after four years in the doldrums.
“SRU are pro active in our junior development programme and senior teams,” he said.