Sabah ruggers ready for tough fight
Published on: Monday, August 12, 2024
By: Bernama
Coach Serupepeli Naqasima is confident in his team’s ability to secure at least a bronze medal, despite the fierce competition especially from the state’s ‘Borneo Brothers’ and home team, Sarawak.
SANDAKAN: The Sabah men’s rugby team are gearing up for tough fights against teams from Sarawak, Johor, and Negeri Sembilan at the upcoming Malaysia Games (Sukma) 2024.
The rugby competition will take place in Miri, Sarawak.
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Coach Serupepeli Naqasima is confident in his team’s ability to secure at least a bronze medal, despite the fierce competition especially from the state’s ‘Borneo Brothers’ and home team, Sarawak.
He emphasised that the Sabah squad are not shying away from the challenge and are fully focused on achieving a podium finish with training in Sandakan here.
“We’ve selected 13 talented players from across Sabah who have shown great potential,” Naqasima said.
“These players have undergone rigorous training camps to prepare them for the Sukma tournament in Miri,” he said.
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The rugby competition at the Sukma is scheduled to be held at Miri Stadium from Aug 19 to 22.
The selection process began with 35 players from the Sabah Games (Saga), and after a series of intense camps, the final 13 were chosen.
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Naqasima highlighted the importance of building confidence in the team, not just for this tournament but for future Sukma events as well.
“Our target is a podium finish, ideally a bronze medal, but beyond that, we’re looking to instil confidence in the next generation of Sukma athletes,” he said.
Naqasima acknowledged that the team are in the final stages of preparation and is hopeful that the players will give their all to secure a spot on the podium but also pointed out some challenges the team faces.
“Our biggest challenge is balancing the players’ commitments, especially those who are studying at university and are far from Sabah. It’s tough to monitor them, but we’ve provided training programmes, and we’re pleased that everyone will be present for the final preparations,” he said.
Naqasima also pointed out that only one player from the Sukma 2022 team remains, and he’s expected to play a key role in motivating the younger players throughout the preparation and tournament in Miri.
The Sabah’s men’s rugby team last tasted success in Sukma 2011 when they won a silver medal, and they’re determined to add another medal to their collection this year.
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