Rugby: MRU seeks financial sponsorship to compete in Asia Rugby Championship

IPOH, Jan 13 -- The Malaysian Rugby Union (MRU) is seeking financial sponsorship to help the national men’s 15s team participate in Asia Rugby Championship.

Its president, Datuk Shahrul Zaman Yahya, said the MRU needed at least RM2 million to be able to take part in the championship which may be played in a home and away matches in May or June this year, with the national team scheduled to play against Hong Kong and Korea.

“The RM2 million is not only to go there but also to host the matches against Hong Kong and Korea besides preparing the team for six months, supposedly. But we are already late because the training camp, which should have started this month, has been postponed to February due to the Movement Control Order.

“The biggest challenge right now is funding. Last year, two of our major sponsors made a u-turn because of the pandemic situation. At the moment, the team has zero budget but we are still looking endlessly for it,” he told Bernama here, today.

Shahrul Zaman said the national rugby squad was currently in the 49th position in the world ranking and 5th in Asia, far behind Hong Kong and Korea, and test matches were the best platform required to narrow the gap.

“To corporations out there, your contributions are entitled to tax exemptions.

“Please help these boys to realise their dream, we want to be in the Rugby World Cup 2031. Some said it’s impossible. It’s a process, but we should at least try to make the impossible possible," he said.

-- BERNAMA