KUALA LUMPUR – Malaysia Rugby is planning to take the national seven-a-side (7s) rugby squad on a tour to New Zealand, Australia, and Fiji this year as part of preparations for the 2025 SEA Games in Thailand.
Rugby Malaysia honorary secretary-general, Fahmy Jalil said that these three countries are on the radar of the sports governing body in its effort to strengthen the national team, but the plan is subject to the decision of the National Sports Council (NSC).
“The plan is there, but we need to look at the financial aspect and the support from NSC first. We have submitted the request hoping for exposure abroad,” he told Bernama.
Fahmy said this when met at the KL Tigers Rugby International 10s Championship at Bukit Kiara here today.
He said that for now, the national 7s rugby squad will fully focus on participating in the World Rugby Sevens Series in Singapore in May before considering a further move towards the SEA Games.
“Regardless, we need to ensure that we can deliver good results in the World Rugby Sevens Series before discussing the next process because it will take place in two months, so it’s not worth sending the team abroad in the near future.
“After the end of that championship, we have another three months to train for the Asia Rugby Seven Series Championship in September,” he said.
Rugby 7s was not contested at the 2023 SEA Games in Cambodia, but it has a great chance of returning in the 2025 edition in Thailand, Kuala Lumpur (2027), and Singapore in 2029.
The national 7s squad’s best achievement was winning the gold medal at the 2017 SEA Games in Kuala Lumpur. – March 2, 2024