KUCHING: A total of 16 teams are taking part in the two-day Song Kheng Hai Memorial Cup 2017 7-a-side rugby championship at the Song Kheng Hai rugby field in Padungan, here, starting yesterday.
Participating teams in the inaugural event are KRFC Blackcatz, KRFC Wildcatz, WORC Juniors, UNIMAS Lycans, 1Div, Sibu Swans, Miri Division Rugby Association, Wolfpack, Saints Old Boys, Kenyalang Warriors Rugby Club and GB13, TUDM Blackhawks, UPM Serdang Angels, UTM Pirates and Sabah OSCA.
State secretary Tan Sri Datuk Amar Mohamad Morshidi Abdul Ghani in his speech while officiating the 7-a-side championship yesterday hoped that rugby would be promoted in the secondary as well as in primary schools to revive the sports as a prominent sports in the state.
“I have the advantage (as the state secretary) and I’ll do my best to ensure that there is enough support at the same time to promote the sports in both primary and secondary schools,” he said.
The state secretary also noted that some schools in the state are doing well in rugby such as SMK Agama Sheikh Haji Othman Abdul Wahab (SHOAW).
“They are considered as one of the rugby icons and becoming a good example for other schools in the state,” he said.
Morshidi also hoped more tournaments would be organised in Kuching in the future.
Meanwhile, Sarawak Rugby Union (SRU) president Richard Song Swee Jin said he is proud of the transformational role of the SRU in elevating rugby as one of the game of choices.
“Let us all strive to not only to enjoy the good sportmanship, but to bask in the fulfillment of fellowship and enjoy the food here in Kuching,” he said.
Richard also added that the tournament witnessed a good mix of the junior and senior players together with the presence of the nationwide participating teams.
“With the encouraging supports we’ve received, we’ll shall probably have a good chance to hold more tournaments in the future,” he added.
Richard also thanked those who have helped SRU throughout the competition and Commander of the First Infantry Division of the Royal Armed Force Major General Datuk Stephen Mundaw for providing a lot of facility to enable SRU to run the tournament smoothly.
Also present yesterday were State Police Commissioner Datuk Mazlan Mansor and other SRU committee members.
