Borneo 7s International Clubs Rugby Tournament
SANDAKAN: The 14th Borneo Sevens International Clubs Rugby Tournament gets underway at the home of the Eagles Rugby Clubs (ERC) located at Bandar Utama, Mile 6, Jalan Utara, here today.
A total of 17 teams from eight nations, including Malaysia will vie for top honours at the ERCorganised tournament featuring two categories - men and women.
Ten teams, including defending champions NZ Borneo Eagles, which is the host team, will be around to defend their crown, and so is last year's finalist Hong Kong.
NZ Borneo Eagles will have the company of Sri Lanka, Tribe 7s (Australia), Singapore, COBRA in Pool A while Hong Hong have been drawn in Pool B alongside Malaysia 7s, DBKL, Sabah Eagles, Alabang Eagles (Philippines).
This time around, NZ Borneo Eagles will be defending their title with a relatively young squad.
They will be spearheaded by what is seen as New Zealand Sevens development side that has an average age of about 22 years old, the youngest being 18 and oldest 26.
The team is under the watchful eyes of former All Blacks captain Edwin Cocker.
When met at the team's light training at the Sandakan Sports Complex field here yesterday, Cocker said: “We got our national tournament and these boys are selected for the initial New Zealand Sevens team, but unfortunately they did not make the cut, and this is another opportunity for them to stamp their mark if they want to be in the main team.”
“In terms of defending the crown, this is completely a new team so we can only try our best and hope for the best. Nobody that's been here since from last 2016 except for myself.
According to Cocker, they have only been together as a team since their arrival at the airport in New Zealand recently.
“As a team together since we arrived at the airport in New Zealand because we are all from different (places) of New Zealand.
“We got two from Christchurch, two from Wellington, three from Auckland and one from Counties. They are a mixed (of) second tier, they are in an age bracket where they are trying to prepare for the next Olympics, so they are quite young so they still got a lot of experience to gain,” Cocker said.
On their target, he said: “Will concentrate on our pool and will try to win it, and after that we just take every game as a Cup, potentially if we play to our true colours, you know we probably be happy to get a top two, meaning playing in the Cup final.”
In the women's category, Thailand, Sri Lanka and Sabah Eagles made up Group A while Korea, Singapore, Malaysia, Eagles RFC Philippines are in Group B.