KUCHING: The call-up of five Sarawak players to the national Women’s 15s camp is a significant step for women’s rugby development, said Sarawak Rugby Union (SRU) Head of Women’s Rugby Elite & Development, Sylvia Alexander Lian.
Five Sarawak players – Cuthberta Entai, Petresia Jenet Dunstan, Elestie Lavinia Ali, Dayang Tsaniya Hudiya Awang Hamdin and Winnie Cralisia Kupar were among the 47 players invited to the national Women’s 15s camp as part of preparations for the SEARF Women’s 15s Championship in February.
The first selection camp will be held at Padang Astaka, Petaling Jaya, on January 23 and 24, as Malaysia continues its build-up towards hosting the inaugural regional championship involving Malaysia, Singapore and the Philippines.
The championship will be contested in a round-robin format, marking a major milestone for women’s 15s rugby in the Southeast Asian region.
Sylvia welcomed the expanded opportunities created by the 15s format, noting that it has opened wider national selection pathways for women players, particularly those unable to feature in the 7s game.
She also expressed her appreciation to Malaysia Rugby (MR) and the Sarawak Rugby Union (SRU) for opening the door to Women’s 15s rugby, describing the initiative as an important platform for senior players to compete for national selection.
“The opportunity to play 15s brings more chances for other senior players to be considered for the national squad, especially those girls who can’t play 7s,” she told Sarawak Tribune when contacted today (Jan 23).
She further thanked the SRU coaches in charge of the Sarawak Women’s 15s team for their dedication and commitment in preparing players for the national stage.
