KUCHING: Sarawak head coach Er Embran Mohammad Ali views the Pre-SUKMA Balik Pulau 7s tournament, which begins tomorrow, as an important benchmark as his side continues preparations for SUKMA 2026.
The two-day tournament at Politeknik Balik Pulau in Penang will provide the state team with an opportunity to assess the effectiveness of its training programme and gauge its competitiveness against fellow SUKMA-bound teams.
Sarawak have been drawn in Group B alongside Negeri Sembilan, Federal Territories, Penang, Kedah and Perak, and will open their campaign against Negeri Sembilan at 9.20am tomorrow.
“Our target for this Pre-SUKMA tournament is to use it as a benchmark based on our training and overall performance,” said Embran.
He revealed that preparations have been progressing according to plan, with the squad following a structured training schedule since commencing preparations earlier this year.
“We have our own programme. The team trains five days a week, with three gym sessions and three field sessions every week,” he told Sarawak Tribune.
The 15-player squad includes three former SUKMA athletes who are expected to provide valuable experience and leadership to a largely youthful line-up.
Most of the players are from Kuching and Samarahan, while others have been selected from schools in Lundu, Asajaya and Miri.
Among the schools represented are Kolej Abdillah, SMK Merbau and several other institutions that have consistently produced talented rugby players for the state.
Embran noted that the team only began preparations around April due to various commitments but believes the players have responded positively to the programme.
“We only managed to start around April or May, but the players have shown good commitment and enthusiasm throughout training,” he said.
He added that the tournament would also help the coaching staff identify areas requiring further improvement ahead of next year’s SUKMA campaign.
