KUALA LUMPUR – National rugby 7s head coach Nik Safuan Ismade Nik Man is disheartened with the lack of facilities designated for rugby in Malaysia.
Speaking to Scoop recently, he said that there is still no rugby stadium in Malaysia that can allow the national teams to conduct regular training and also host international friendly matches.
Nik Safuan’s response came after his national men’s rugby 7s side had to train at Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM) in Seri Kembangan and at the Cobra Rugby Club in Petaling Jaya, having to travel back and forth depending on the availability of each facility, in preparation for the upcoming SEA Rugby 7s Championship in Singapore, which is set to kick off tomorrow.
“I prefer not to point fingers or blame anyone, but it is disappointing that not much has changed since my playing days. To this day, we do not have a designated training complex or a stadium specifically for rugby, unlike some other sports in the country.
“It is sometimes exhausting for the players and coaches, as we have to train at various locations provided to us based on the availability of the facilities, and we have to travel frequently.
“I do not think other athletes or coaches from different sports have to go through the same situation, as they have their own designated venues for training.
“Since we also do not have a proper stadium for rugby, we are unable to invite international teams for friendlies and competitions. Even when we do manage to arrange matches, they have to be held on a smaller scale. As a result, we are often forced to travel abroad so that our players can get game time.
“I hope that the situation will change in the future. We need a stadium for rugby, just as other countries have. Rugby is a well-known sport in our country, and it deserves a stadium of its own,” said Nik Safuan when contacted.
Previously, Malaysia Rugby Union (MRU) secretary-general Fahmy Jalil told Scoop that there has been no confirmation from Youth and Sports Minister Hannah Yeoh regarding the rugby sports complex, initially planned for construction at Precinct 13, Putrajaya.
It is understood that MRU sought to renegotiate with KBS to revive the RM17 million Rugby Sports Complex project, which was abandoned after the ministry returned the allocation to the Finance Ministry.
The plan for a national rugby complex was first proposed by then-sports minister Khairy Jamaluddin in 2015 but did not materialise for unknown reasons.
In 2016, the project was resurrected following the national rugby team’s success in Division 1 of the 2016 Asian Rugby Championship and their gold medal win at the 2017 Kuala Lumpur SEA Games, but was put on hold again recently. — April 3, 2025