KUCHING: One week. That was all SMK Balai Ringin needed to turn a group of complete beginners into a podium-finishing rugby team.
The rural school’s girls’ side stunned more established opponents by claiming third place on debut at the NRDP-SRU Under-18 Rugby Sevens Championship, marking a remarkable start to a programme that only recently took root.
Coach William Malang Meling said the achievement was especially meaningful as most of the players had never played rugby before.
“They started from zero – really zero. They were like blank sheets of paper.
“It became my job to paint that blank canvas and introduce them to rugby,” he told Sarawak Tribune.
Many of the players were recruited from the school’s athletics squad and spent just a week learning the basics before stepping onto the field.
Although a handful had been exposed to rugby previously, William said they had never trained together as a team.
“People may say hard work sounds like a cliché, but for these girls, it was extraordinary. They showed genuine passion and were willing to put in the effort,” he said.
William said attempts had previously been made to establish rugby at the school, but the programme only gained momentum after he and fellow teacher Firnacaflin took the initiative to build the team from the ground up.
“This has all been funded using our own money. We didn’t ask the school because we wanted to give these students an opportunity,” he said.
The school now plans to hold monthly rugby workshops with the help of experienced players from SMK Tarat as it looks to strengthen the programme.
For William, however, sustaining the team’s progress will require greater support.
“This is as far as we can manage on our own. If we want to take the team further, we will need support,” he said.
For SMK Balai Ringin, the third-place finish was not the destination, but the first step towards building a lasting rugby culture.
