KUALA LUMPUR – The truth is always a bitter pill to swallow, but it is a known fact that the tactical style of the Malaysian rugby squad remains outdated, and worse still, 20 years behind.
This is evident following Malaysia’s failure in the Asia Rugby Championship premier division, which saw the team lose all their matches, including to newcomers United Arab Emirates (UAE) last week.
Former national 15’s rugby squad player K. Dineshwaran said that Malaysia possesses plenty of potential and talent, but the annual preparations for these championships are inadequate, with players typically assembled on short notice.
Moreover, Dineshwaran, also known as Dugro, believes Malaysia’s overall standard is way lower compared to two other nations in the division – South Korea and Hong Kong.
Dineshwaran said that Malaysia Rugby should bring in international experts not only to train players but also local coaches so that new ideas and tactics can be implemented.
“It’s no use even if you bring in coaches from the New Zealand All Blacks. Our training standards and rugby standards have not reached the level played globally today. I say this based on my experience playing. It feels like we’re still playing rugby from 20 years ago, without any updates to match the current styles.
“South Korea and Hong Kong have an advantage because they consistently update with new styles of rugby, and we need to catch up with that,” said Dineshwaran.
For the record, before Farid Syazwan Abu Bakar led the team since last year, Malaysia was coached by former All Blacks player Bradley Mika from 2018 to 2021, followed by former All Black captain Rodney So’oialo from 2021 to 2022.
In fact, Dineshwaran himself played under the guidance of both coaches before announcing his retirement earlier this year.
As a suggestion to strengthen preparations for the upcoming Asia Rugby Championship, Dineshwaran urges for the Malaysian rugby league calendar to be adjusted, advancing it earlier to give players more time to build their physical and fitness levels.
“Looking ahead, perhaps central training camps could start earlier, six months before the championship. Players would gather early to build cohesion, achieve match fitness, and more.
“This doesn’t mean they have to stay together for six consecutive months, perhaps they could gather every weekend or every two weeks.
“We need to treat them like semi-pro athletes. Maybe the Malaysian Rugby Union or the National Sports Council can assist in this regard, as we understand most of them still have full-time jobs and families to support,” he added. – June 25, 2024.