KUCHING: Malaysia’s women’s rugby team have broken new ground in the 15s format, climbing to world No 41 with three Sarawakians playing key roles in the campaign.
Cuthberta Entai, Siti Markhamah Mohd Fadzil and Dayang Manggie were part of the squad that earned Malaysia their first-ever World Rugby ranking points in the 15-a-side format at the SEA Women’s XV Championship 2026.
Women’s rugby in Malaysia has traditionally centred on the sevens discipline, making the 15s campaign a significant expansion of the national programme.
For Dayang, the tournament marked an encouraging beginning in the longer format.
“It was a really good start for us. This is our first experience in national 15s and we learned a lot.
“At least when other Sarawakian women players come here, they can gain experience and bring it back to Sarawak to help develop the game”, she said.
She expressed hope that more Sarawak players will be involved in future tournaments as the women’s 15s programme continues to grow.
Entai, who previously represented Malaysia in sevens, described the transition as a valuable learning curve.
“I gained a lot of experience playing with the seniors. I’m really grateful to be selected and proud that Sarawak has done a great job in building women’s 15s,” she said.
She added that the team remains focused heading into future competitions.
“We just want to do our best and keep improving from every game”, she added.
Sarawak women’s rugby head coach, Sylvia Alexander Lian said the milestone reflects positive momentum for women’s 15s development.
“This marks the start of positive growth for women’s 15s in Malaysia, and we hope to see consistent and sustainable development as we move forward to regional and international competitions,” she told Sarawak Tribune.
Malaysia’s rise to world No. 41 places them among the biggest movers in the latest women’s World Rugby standings, underlining the impact of their participation in the regional championship.
