By Jason ThomasThe Brunei Times
BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN
Thursday, June 17, 2010
SEVEN players will be making their debut in the national rugby team during Sunday's 2010 HSBC Asian 5 Nations Regional Tournament in Cambodia.
Forwards Abdul Azim Hj Abu Bakar, Helvey Bujang, Mohd Aimaduddin Hj Ali and Syaihan Hj Abu Bakar have earned their first call up to the side, where they will be joined by backs Abdul Hakim Hj Musdi, Halil Wakiyuddin and Hj Rozaimienizam Hj Jainal - who is also the assistant coach.
Twenty-eight players made the first cut after a trial late April, with national coach Ben Bourne finalising the full squad of 24 two weeks ago.
About 40 per cent of last year's team which competed in Laos will be returning this year, with the majority of the players coming from reigning league and cup champions Knights Rugby Club.
Making up the forwards are Mohammad Syafiee Matali and Mohd Khairi Abd Salam at lock and Mohd Aimaduddin at hooker.
Abdul Azim and Mohd Zailaini Zainal Abidin have been slotted in at second row while captain Ahmad Faez Hj Anuar will be flanked by Sa'adi Hj Abu Bakar and Nobel Lee at the back row.
In the backs, Belait Pythons' Muhamad Ziyad Hj Ramlee and Petrus Tuan will be trusted with the scrum-half and fly-half roles respectively.
Knights' captain Dinie Hj Abu Bakar will play at inside centre while Hj Rozaimienizam is at outside centre.
Halil Wakiyuddin and Ak Md Muizuddin play at wing while Ak Mohd Abdul Aziz Pg Hj Md Norsah rounds up the field of 15 players at full-back.
Abdul Hakim, Bujang, Md Redha Hj Adinin, Mohd Syahidin Badaruddin, Ronny Tarang, Rosmi Janadie, Roy Agar Munan, Rudy Baja and Syaihan have been listed as substitutes. Ahmad Faez, Muhammad Ziyad, Nobel Lee, Tarang and Tuan were some of the players in last October's Asian Rugby Sevens Series national team. Changes to the current squad to the six-day tournament in Cambodia were still being made until Monday because of injuries, work commitments and disciplinary problems.
That isn't stopping national coach Ben Bourne from feeling confident he will be bringing the right men when they leave tomorrow.
"I think experience wise, I would rate them as seven or eight out of 10," said Bourne yesterday.
"Like last year we have a good forward pack but what really makes them stand out is their mobility.
"They are quicker than any previous team I have had and that is really an advantage and we will be using it as our secret weapon.
"The backs have a lot of pace as well and as a whole that will help the team," added the Samoan.
They play their first game against Cambodia on Sunday at the National Sports Complex in Phnom Penh, with the tie against Laos set for next Wednesday Cambodia and Laos do battle in the final match next Saturday. Qatar was supposed to compete in the tournament but pulled out. Brunei faced the same opponents in the previous edition of the tournament last March with mixed results.
They returned from Laos with a 21-10 win against Cambodia, beating the team for the first time in three tries.
However, their match against the hosts was forced to be abandoned due to a blackout in the 8th minute of the second half. The score read 28-8 when the match was ditched.
Laos did not agree to a rematch and Brunei sent a formal appeal to the International Rugby Board (IRB) and Asian Rugby Football Union (ARFU). A draw or rematch were the two options on the table, but until today, there have been no new developments in the case.
The result was the team's first "loss" to the Laotians. Their last encounter in June 2007 during the Division 6 Asian Nation Series Rugby Tournament which Brunei hosted saw the national team come up with a dramatic 17-16 win after trailing 8-3 at half time.
Despite entering this year's Asian 5 Nations Regional Tournament seeded third, Bourne believes Brunei deserve to be competing at a higher level.
"We are still playing at the regional level since ARFU think we still need a few more years to develop, but I think that's a bit sad," he said last month.
"As a nation, we have grown a lot and we can definitely compete with the other teams.
"But with our results in the past, especially in Guam ... AFRU think Brunei is too far behind so now we have to prove we can compete at the regional level," he added.
In June 2008, Brunei suffered heavy defeats against both of their opponents in the fourth-tier of the ARFU Asia-Pacific Regional Tournament in Hagtna, Guam.
Losing to the hosts 74-0 and the Philippines 101-0, the latter remains the national team's worst loss ever.
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