KUCHING: Sarawak’s Under-18 boys and girls capped their campaigns at the NRDP National 7s U18 2026 with podium finishes after both teams emerged first runners-up in their respective categories at Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM) in Serdang, Selangor, recently.
The boys finished runners-up in the Bowl competition after falling 19-7 to Kelantan in the final, while the girls settled for second place in the Shield category following a hard-fought 19-12 defeat to Kuala Lumpur.
Both teams showed resilience throughout the two-day tournament after overcoming challenging opening-day campaigns to reach their respective finals.
The boys opened their Pool C campaign with a narrow 12-10 victory over Penang before defeats to Negeri Sembilan (15-12) and Kedah (24-0).
They responded impressively in the knockout rounds, blanking Labuan 17-0 in the Bowl quarter-finals before overcoming Terengganu 19-12 to book their place in the final.
The girls, meanwhile, endured a difficult start after losses to Johor, Kuala Lumpur and Perak in the group stage.
However, they regrouped on the second day, defeating Putrajaya 19-5 in the Shield semi-finals before finishing runners-up after a spirited display against Kuala Lumpur in the final.
The Sarawak Rugby Union (SRU) described the campaign as another important step in developing the state’s next generation of rugby players.
“These achievements reflect far more than the final standings. They represent courage after setbacks, determination under pressure, and the strength to keep fighting until the last whistle.
“The journey does not end here. This is another important step in developing the next generation of Sarawak rugby players,” SRU said in a social media post.
