KUALA LUMPUR: The national rugby 15s squad will have to be at their best to have any chance of remaining in the top tier of the Asia Rugby Championship (ARC) this year.
Asia Rugby (AR) yesterday announced that the ARC playoff between Sri Lanka and Malaysia will be held at the iconic Racecourse Stadium in Colombo on April 19.
The news comes as a blow to the Bunga Raya’s squad’s hopes as the match was previously expected to be held in Johor.
Sri Lanka will have strong support from their home fans. Rugby and cricket are among the most popular sports in the country.
The playoff is being held to determine which team competes in the top tier this season.
Malaysia had finished last among four teams in the top tier last year after losing to champions Hong Kong, South Korea and United Arab Emirates. A single round-robin format was used.
Sri Lanka won the Division One title last season after comfortably beating India in the semi-finals and Kazakhstan in the decider, both in Colombo. Over 20,000 fans attended the final.
Asia Rugby competitions committee chairperson, Asanga Seneviratne, believes the playoff marks an important moment for the sport in Asia.
“This playoff marks a historic milestone for Asia Rugby. While the format has long allowed the Division One champion to challenge the lowest-ranked team in the top division, this is the first time in recent memory it has been accepted,” said Asanga yesterday (March 25).
“This signals a shift toward greater competitiveness and expectations to improve world rankings which augurs well for Asia Rugby.”
Despite finishing last every season since being promoted to the top tier in 2018, the Bunga Raya squad has never had to play in a relegation playoff before.
This is partly because ARC was cancelled in 2020-2021 (Covid-19) and the Division One competition only returned to full strength last year.
The ARC top tier competition holds added importance this year as for the first time, the winner will earn direct qualification to the Rugby World Cup which will be held in Australia in 2027.
© New Straits Times Press (M) Bhd