Malaysia’s Rugby Sevens team conceded 192 points in five defeats at the Commonwealth Games, but the Malaysian Rugby Union (MRU) has defended the decision to stump up the costs for the lowly outfit to be outclassed in Scotland.
“It is unfair to say that it is a waste of funds to send the team there as this is a great avenue for us to expose our team to some playing [time] against some of the best teams in the world,” MRU secretary-general Suhaimi Zainuddin told the New Straits Times on Monday. “Where else can we can we get this opportunity?”
Malaysia suffered 50-point defeats to Wales and Samoa in group play at last month’s event at the Ibrox Stadium in Glasgow, and registered their only try of the pool stage in a 36-7 loss to Papua New Guinea.
Photo: Reuters
They were then thrashed 35-0 by Uganda in the Bowl Competition before almost registering a first win in the semi-finals of the Shield, only to be denied 15-10 by Trinidad and Tobago.
Only Barbados (248) conceded more points in the 14-minute long matches for teams of seven players on a full-size pitch, but Suhaimi said the experience would stand them in good stead for next month’s Asian Games and next year’s Southeast Asian Games (SEA Games).
“Yes we did not do well in Glasgow, but it was not our worst-ever performance,” he told the paper. “We expected the competition to be tough and had not in any way set lofty targets before the tournament. What experience we gain from competing may not help that much at future editions of the Commonwealth Games, but it will help us at competitions such as the SEA Games and Asian Games, where we have a much more realistic chance of winning medals.”
“If we just stayed at home to save money that would not help us very much. It would mean we are just content to stay at the level we are,” he said.
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