THE MALAYSIAN 7s proved to be the favourites by winning all four matches in day one of the iRB Asian 7s Series round-robin stage held at Belapan Sports Complex yesterday.
The team beat Laos 47-0, India 31-5, Philippines 36-5 and Brunei 52-0. The team were boosted by the presence of three Fijians who created fine teamwork and great discipline, as little could be achieved by any individual player.
Also in the race for the silverware were the Philippines which defeated India 14-12 and Brunei 35-0, in the opening stages of the tournament. The team played very well with strong offensive and defensive tactics.
Although the Brunei 7s lost to Malaysia and Philippines, they managed to woo their fans by winning comfortably against Laos 31-0. The Brunei 7s put the ball into space and used it wisely together with the combination of the swift forwards making excellent tries and conversation kicks.
Eight matches were played against the five participating teams and an additional two-exhibition matches from Brunei’s very own Rugby teams, the Belait Pythons and Bandar Blacks.
The idea of the exhibition matches was to promote the game of rugby and educate the public on the rules and jargons used in rugby.
According to tournament officials, a ranking system was produced for the teams that will provide a pathway for ARFU members at an international standard, making every match crucial. For every win, the teams will receive three points, a draw will receive two points and a loss gets one point.
The tournament will continue today with the opening match at 12.20pm, followed by the knockout stage and the cup finals. The presentation of trophies will also be held today.
Members of the public are encouraged to bring their family and friends as the tournament is also hosting a carnival just outside the rugby ground as a supporting event.
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