‘MCKK Premier 7s outing a success’
Depleted SHOAW finish fourth in rugby sevens meet, coach hails U17 Warriors for good start of 2019
KUCHING: SMK Agama Sheikh Haji Othman Abdul Wahab ( Shoaw) ended their campaign in the MCKK Premier 7s with a respectable overall fourth placing after losing 15- 24 to English College in the Plate final at The Malay College Kuala Kangsar ( MCKK) Ground last Sunday.
They were ranked sixth out of the 24 teams prior to the Plate final.
The Shoaw Warriors opened their campaign with a 19- 0 victory over King Edward VII and went on to draw 10-10 with SMYP1 and defeating the defending champions SM Sri Mersing 25- 9 in their last Group A match to top the group as well as qualify for the Cup/Plate quarterfinals.
However, they were unable to advance further when they lost 12-19 to Sekolah Sultan Alam Shah in the Cup last eight which was dubbed as a repeat final of this year’s Milo-NRDP Carnival
We managed to display good rugby and won many hearts at MCKKP7s... We were a depleted team in the Plate final but we soldiered on.
final.
The defeat relegated Shoaw to the Plate semi-finals where they overpowered SYP1 26-7.
Shoaw head coach Zulkaranainhisham Sarbini regarded the second place finish in the Plate as respectable considering the standard of the tournament where the best rugby schools from all over the country locked horns.
They had actually achieved their target to play in the Cup/ Plate quarterfinals.
“It was a successful outing overall. We managed to display good rugby and won many hearts at MCKKP7s.
“We could have achieved better ranking ( No. 3) if we had beaten SYP1 in the second group match.
“We were a depleted team in the Plate final but we soldiered on. Muhammad Qayyum Adinan and Ahmad Lufti Yusof did not play while Fadhilan and Arsyad carried injuries into the match.
“We led 10- 10 but couldn’t sustain the lead and EC came back stronger to lead 12-10 in the first half,’ he added.
Zulkaranainhisham extended the team’s appreciation to the school principal Norlela Bujang for accompanying the team to Kuala Kangsar and cheering them on.
“I would like to thank the organisers MCKK for the ‘ best rugby tournament in Malaysia and Southeast Asia’, MSNS head coach Nacani Seniu and coach Nathaniel Tan for helping to train and prepare the team and supporting our centre of excellence for rugby.”
He also congratulated his U17 Warriors for their high commitment and discipline in the tournament.
“This is a fantastic start for the Warriors in 2019 to win the Cup at Milo-NRDP Carnival in January and now they are the Plate first runners- up at MCKPP7s,” said Zulkaranainhisham.
Zulkaranainhisham Sarbini, Shoaw head coach