KUALA LUMPUR – Muhammad Farid Syazwan Abu Bakar, coach of the national 15s rugby squad, acknowledges the daunting task of restoring his players’ morale following a resounding defeat against South Korea in the opening match of the Asia Rugby Championship Premier Division at Namdong Stadium in Incheon today.
The Hibiscus squad struggled throughout the match, trailing 38-0 in the first half.
Although Mohad Shobrey Amok’s attempt in the 48th minute offered a glimmer of hope, it failed to significantly alter the team’s fate as they succumbed to a 55-5 defeat.
Farid concedes that his players’ primary weakness in this encounter was their inability to swiftly adapt to the game, resulting in a substantial deficit.
Furthermore, the issuance of two yellow cards to Samuel Anak Rentap and Ahmad Zulhimi Azizad further hindered the team’s momentum.
With approximately six days until their next match against Hong Kong on June 8 at Universiti Putra Malaysia Stadium, Serdang, Farid faces the challenge of rejuvenating his team’s spirit before they travel to Dubai to confront newcomers United Arab Emirates.
“First of all, we struggled in the first half, we didn’t settle down, and the two yellow cards affected our momentum. We tried to come back in the second half.
“The coaching staff feels that there are too many things we need to improve before the matches against Hong Kong and the UAE.
“Although this is not the result we hoped for, the coaching staff will try their best to maintain the motivation of the players, and we will focus on the two upcoming games.
“It’s a big challenge to bounce back for the next two games,” said Farid in a post-match interview.
Yesterday, Hong Kong secured a 52-5 victory over the UAE at Hong Kong Football Club Stadium.
South Korea currently leads the Premier Division standings, with Hong Kong closely behind, while Malaysia sits at the bottom and is at risk of being relegated to Division One next season. – Jun 2, 2024