KUALA LUMPUR – The Malaysian rugby team found themselves playing second fiddle to South Korea, going down 27-3 in their Asia Rugby Championship (ARC) 2023 match at Saidina Hamzah Stadium, International Islamic University of Malaysia (UIAM) here today.
World number 49 Malaysia can take consolation in how they managed to get at least three points when Mohd Fairuz Ab Rahman converted a penalty in the 17th minute against the world number 30 Asian giants.
South Korea shot into a 20-3 lead in the first half thanks to attempts by Chang Yong-cheung in the second minute, Kim Ki-min (28th minute) and Lee Geon (39th minute), which Kimin converted.
Kimin also scored a penalty in the 36th minute.
After the break, South Korea added one more try through Hwang Jeong-wook in the 42nd minute, which Kimin converted.
The match was halted in the 66th minute due to rain and lightning, before resuming 50 minutes later. It had to be ended earlier to prevent any untoward incidents.
National coach Mohd Farid Syazwan Abu Bakar was satisfied with the discipline and determination displayed by his 15-a-side squad, despite not having sufficient time to prepare for the match.
“I feel a little disappointed because the team worked hard but I saw a lot of positives from this match that we can take to the next game, as the players, especially the newcomers, rose to the occasion playing at the highest level,” he said.
The Hibiscus will take on defending champions Hong Kong on June 10 at the Hong Kong Football Stadium. – Bernama, June 3, 2023
