Malaysia clinch Cup Championship with a 31-21 win over Korea

S.M. Jiffrey Abdeen Kandy Sports Correspondent

Malaysia’s Skipper Tan Kah Hoch (extreme left) and coach Tomasi Kamai hold aloft the Cup Championship Trophy after receiving it from Chairman of Singer Sri Lanka Ltd., Hemaka Amarasuriya (extreme right)who was the chief guest after they beat Korea by 31 points to 21 in the final of the Singer-SriLankan Rugby Sevens played at Nittawela yesterday. Pictures by Sulochana Gamage

Malaysia staged one of the greatest fight backs seen in the tournament to score an emphatic 31 points (3 goals, 2 tries) to 21 (3 goals) win over Korea to clinch the Cup Championship for the first time in the finals of the Singer-SriLankan Airlines International Rugby Sevens organised by Kandy Sports Club on behalf of Sri Lanka Rugby Football Union with Amaya Hills as associate sponsor and worked off at the Nittawela Rugby Stadium in Kandy yesterday. At half time it was Korea who led 21-5.

Korea who earlier beat Sri Lanka to walk into the semi-finals have themselves to blame for this defeat after they had virtually wrapped up the match at lemons. Korea led 14-0 at one stage but they never bargained to the fight back by the Malaysians who had three Fijians in their team.

Korea opened scoring almost with the kick off Soo Kweng scored under the post and this was converted by Hong Jung (Korea 7-0).

Two minutes they scored again through Hung Jung and he converted it himself. Korea led 14-0.

Malaysia reduced the lead through Timool Nacokula who kicked ahead and made a breezy run to score far left and this went unconverted.

One more try before lemons by Lim Jaye Hung which was converted by Hung Jun Li saw them lead 21-5 at lemons.

But after the breather the entire complexion of the game changed with the Malaysian showing mere punch in their attack which completely baffled the Koreans. Tries by Mohammed Naseen. Semi Saruvakula, Viliano Veto with Mohammed Naseen adding the extra points to two of them was Malaysians lead 24-21. Almost on the stroke of full time the Malaysians were awarded a penalty try which was converted by Veto to score a shock victory. In the Cup semi finals Sri Lanka put up a dismal display to lose to Korea by 28 points (4 goals) to 14 (2 goals) after the Koreans had led 14-7 at the breather.

It was Sri Lanka who scored first through Saliya Kumara which was goalled by himself.

But in the period of play which followed the Sri Lankan failed to impress as some inept play under slippery conditions allowed the Koreans to get on top of them. Koreans first scored through Kwak Chul Wong with Hong Jung adding the extra points. They took the lead through another try by Chan Jong Man with June Ki converting to forge ahead 14-7 at half time.

Immediately after the turn arab Soo Kwung with a fierce run scored under the post and Jong Ki added the extra points for the Koreans to lead 21-7. Soo Kwang scored his second try and converted himself to lead 28-7.

The Champion Malaysian rugby team is seen here with the trophy after they beat Korea by 31 points to 21 in the Cup Championship final of the Singer-SriLankan Rugby Sevens played at Nittawela yesterday.

It was in the dying stages of the game that Sanjeewa Jayasinghe sprinted nearly 80 metres to score under the post for Saliya Kumara to add the extra points to reduce the lead 14-28.

In the second semi-finals Malaysia beat China by 35 points (5 goals) to 14 (2 goals) after leading 21-7 at half time.

Earlier during the day Thailand beat Arabian Gulf 28-24. Korea drew with Malaysia 28 all. Chinese Taipei beat Kazakhastan 21-7 Sri Lanka beat China 17-7.

Sri Lanka’s performance declined so badly in the afternoon that in the match for the third and fourth places China trounced Sri Lanka by 24 points (2 goals, 2 tries) to 5 (1 try) after leading 14-5 at lemons.

Kazakhastan became Plate Champions by defeating Chinese Taipei by 22 points (1 goal, 3 tries) to 12 (1 goal, 1 try). At half time Chinese Taipei led 7-5.

In the Plate semi finals Kazakhastan beat Thailand 17-15, and Chinese Taipei beat Arabian Gulf 17-10. In the contest for the seventh and eighth places Arabian Gulf beat Thailand 17-7.

Singapore won the Bowl Championship beating India by 15 points (3 tries) to nil in the finals.