KUCHING: Limited preparation has not dented Sarawak’s confidence as its boys’ and girls’ rugby teams head into the NRDP Under-18 Seven-a-Side Rugby Championship 2026 determined to make an impact.
The championship will be held at Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM), Serdang, Selangor, from July 25 to 26, with Sarawak fielding 13 boys and 13 girls against teams from across the country.
Girls’ coach, Stephen Patrick, said the squad had just five days of centralised training after players were assembled following the NRDP selection tournament two weeks ago.
Despite the short build-up, he said the emphasis has been on preparing the players mentally rather than physically.
“What we need most is mental preparation because teams in Sarawak do not get as many competitive and high-intensity matches as those in West Malaysia.
“The players need to be ready to handle the pressure, environment and intensity of national competition,” he told Sarawak Tribune today.
The girls have been drawn with Johor, Kuala Lumpur and Perak, with the top two teams from each group advancing to the Cup competition.
Meanwhile, boys’ head coach, Mohd Mahadzir Marjuki, said the team had focused on tactical awareness and team play during the limited training period.
“We started with trial matches against UNIMAS and Politeknik Kuching before moving into morning and evening training sessions.
“With such a short timeframe, it was more important to sharpen our tactics, individual skills and team combinations than to focus on fitness,” he said.
Mahadzir said the coaching staff would decide the starting seven based on tactical needs after assessing the players throughout training.
The boys have been grouped with Penang, Negeri Sembilan and Kedah.
Assistant coach, Syed Ibrahim Hilmi Syed Mohamad, said building chemistry among the players remained another key objective, especially with limited opportunities to compete in Sarawak.
“Our target is to finish in the top eight, but more importantly, we want the players to stay injury-free and continue growing together as a team throughout the tournament,” he said.
Both the boys’ and girls’ squads have been training at Song Kheng Hai Rugby Field in the morning and Kolej Abdillah in the afternoon as part of their preparations for the championship.
