Women’s rugby sevens team await veteran Maslina’s recovery

KUALA LUMPUR: Seasoned campaigner Maslina Ahmad Ismail is racing against time to feature in her second SEA Games in the Philippines next month.

The 33-year-old woman’s rugby sevens forward, who played in the Singapore SEA Games in 2015, is recovering from a fractured fibula, which she suffered during training three weeks ago.

National coach Nik Safuan Ismade said that Maslina will know by next week whether she can compete in the SEA Games.

“She is currently undergoing rehabilitation and I’m quite positive that she will recover by next week.

“We need her services as she is an experienced player who helped Malaysia maintain their place in the top flight of the Asia Rugby Sevens Series in September.

“We have set a target of reaching the final for the first time in the SEA Games and her experience will be crucial for the team,” said Nik Safuan, who guided Malaysia to their first-ever women’s rugby sevens bronze medal in the Kuala Lumpur SEA Games in 2017.

There are 15 players in training including Maslina and three will be dropped for the SEA Games.

Six teams will feature in the SEA Games and Malaysia are drawn in Group B with Singapore and Indonesia while Group A comprises defending champions Thailand, the Philippines and Laos.

Nik Safuan said that they will face a strong challenge from

Singapore, who bagged silver in the KL SEA Games.

“But in the recent Asia Sevens Series, we beat Singapore twice but we can’t be overconfident.

“We want to top our group to avoid facing favourites Thailand in the semi-finals,” said Nik Safuan.

Malaysia will feature in the Bangkok Sevens on Nov 9 and 10.

Malaysia played Singapore three times in the Asia Series and lost the first match (5-10) but bounced back to win twice (19-5) and (7-0).