Sabah OSCA Warriors off to winning start
KOTA KINABALU: Defending champions Sabah OSCA Warriors got off to a winning start in the KASI Group Kota Kinabalu League Rugby 15’s Championship last Saturday.
The Warriors did it in style too as they demolished newly formed Papar Lions 112-0 at the Sukma Rugby Field A.
It was just the start that the title holders, who are coached by brothers Noel and Neville Philip and assisted by Cyril Joe, were looking for in Group A as they overwhelmed their opponents and were unstoppable from the very beginning of the match.
The match was one of the five played over the weekend.
The other Group A match saw Keningau Crocs deny University Malaysia Sabah (UMS) a winning return to the tournament.
The Crocs won 34-5 against hosts UMS, who missed the last two editions of the Kota Kinabalu League, in their own turf at Padang D.
In Group B, Putatan Scorpionz and Monsters Rugby faced off in a highly-charged game which saw three yellow cards - two for the Scorpionz and another for the Monsters - issued.
The Scorpionz however emerged victorious in the group opener with a 22-7 scoreline at Sukma Rugby Field A.
In the second game of Group B, last year’s runner-up KK Sharks RFC made light of the Prison Department of Sabah, who are also making a comeback after a long absence from the state rugby scene.
The Sharks, coached by former state player Azrul Hani and strengthened by several experienced players, were too strong for the Prison Deparment when winning 50-0 at the Sukma Rugby Field B.
The third game in Group B saw SABORC edge newcomers East ORCA (NAVY) 31-5 at UMS Padang D.
East ORCA are making their first ever KK League appearance and the team is still trying to gain more match experience with most of them still new to the game.
Meanwhile, the tournament main sponsor KASI Group representative Benjamin Nair praised the organising committee for their hard works that made it possible to stage the league.
He also said that the KASI Group CEO, Datuk Captain Walter Nair, was happy to sponsor the tournament as a way to give back to the community.
“This (the KK League) will bring the Kota Kinabalu rugby community together and closer on-and-off the field,” he said in a statement to the press yesterday.
Other sponsors of the tournament are Kuckreja Sports, Rugger District, KK Cool (KK Drinks), Ded’Saan Beach Resort, DD Borneo Group, Ararat Sports and Jesselton Group.
Week Two fixtures of the tournament will be played on February 23 at the Sukma Rugby Field A and B as well as at UMS starting 3pm.