KUCHING: The Sarawak women’s rugby team has done its community proud, and all eyes are now on their final group match against KL Tigers tomorrow (Saturday, May 17).
The team has had a commendable run so far: losing 29-5 to ATM, bouncing back with a 35-5 win over UPNM Barbarians, before falling 52-0 to tournament favourites, Cobra Venom.
Head coach, Stephen Patrick, acknowledged the challenges, but has set his sights on the next match.
“As we know, last week’s game was a tough one for the team.
“Venom were clearly well-prepared for the league this time, they were like the home team,” he said.
He added that the team has already moved on from that result, and is focused on what lies ahead.
“All of us in the Sarawak team have put that moment behind us because now we need to focus on tomorrow’s game against KL Tigers.
“We must win to secure a spot in the semi-finals,” he told Sarawak Tribune when contacted today.
Stephen noted that Cobra Venom’s strength lies in their cohesion and consistent training.
“As a unit, they always train together, that’s their strength.
“As for us, we didn’t have the opportunity to train as a full team because our players come from different parts of Sarawak,” he said.
Explaining further, he said that full-team training is crucial for 15s rugby due to the importance of unit skills, which differ greatly from the 7s format.
Despite this, Stephen said the coaching staff have continued to monitor the individual training preparations of players across the squad.
He also confirmed that the squad is injury-free and ready for the crucial clash with KL Tigers.
