5 October 2009
Match report by Euan Morrison & Pics courtesy of 28photography
The highly anticipated game between Singapore and Malaysia kicked off with damp conditions at the Yio Chu Kang Stadium on Sunday.
It did not take long for the home side to gain the confidence they would need to win this game, in the 2nd minute a well worked lineout led to a drive by the forwards collapsing inside the Malaysian 22m, fast ball was fed right through the hands to fullback Leung Wai-Mun with a slight over lap to run it in just to the right of the posts. Conversion was taken by open flank and skipper, Wang Shao-Ing, who brought the score to 7-0.
The following eight minutes showed some very good attacking rugby from Singapore but a solid Malaysian defence stopped Singapore from crossing the line. The home team’s patience paid off when a poor clearance kick offered Singapore a lineout 5m out from the visitor’s line. In the 10th minute a great take in the lineout was brought down and a solid tight maul set up. Singapore drove their way to the line with Wang touching down.
In the 11th minute once Singapore had control of the ball in their half, fly half Eunice Tay made a good clearing kick to relieve some pressure. A great follow up led to the Malaysian player who retrieved the ball being caught inside her own half, from the tackle Leung turned over the ball ran unopposed under the posts.
With the score now 17-0, the Singapore team had started to settle into a rhythm and were playing some good running rugby. Malaysia, despite the early disadvantage were not giving anything to Singapore cheaply.
In the 21st minute, another kick and good chase was turned over in the tackle again by Leung to end up doing a carbon copy of her last try and breaking from the ruck to run in almost unopposed. With Wang finding her kicking rhythm, the conversion was successful, leaving the score standing at 26-0.
From a scrum at half-way, No.8 Ang Wei Yi picked up from the base of the scrum and ran, drawing a defender before feeding Amanda Teo on the wing where she was tackled by the cover defence. Two quick rucks by the Singapore forwards gave fast ball Tay who moved the ball left where prop forward Nur Azurah Binte Mohamed Khalid was given too much space and with a burst of speed touched down left of the posts. Wang took the conversion successfully to bring the score to 31-0.
Another try came quickly for the home side in the 29th minute through out centre Kristy Teh who burst through a scrambling defence to find the line.
For the remainder of the half the Malaysian Team played extremely well and started putting Singapore under a lot of pressure with some hard destructive running from tight-head prop Rozzaiti Che Roslee and some solid backline defence from led by flyhalf Normasyirah Zahari. Singapore was made to defend a good 10 minutes close to their try line but agonisingly close to the end of the 1st half, Teo crushed Malaysian hopes by beating two covering defenders on her 70m break down the wings. Tay converted the try to bring the half-time score to 43-0.
The Malaysians started the 2nd half with a renewed vigour and contested fiercely at the breakdown. However, their inexperience at the scrum allowed Ang to run freely and this was to be the cause of their woes in the second half.
A scrum break by the No.8 saw blindside flanker Annabel Woo in support and breaking clean through the central defence of the Malaysian team. Singapore was stopped just short of the line but finished by rumbling over the line to score.
After the restart, another scrum break allowed Singapore to run the openside with Angela Zheng making good yards before she was tackled 5m from the line. Two quick pick and gos saw replacement loosehead Chan Jiahui cross the line to score near the corner.
Soon after, Singapore exploited the space on the blindside with scrum-half Tan Hui Juan running in towards the posts bringing the score to 57-0.
The next and last try of the match was to come not too long before the final whistle. After a good lineout move the ball was passed right. With great handling the ball reached Teo on the right wing to trundle over for her 2nd try from just outside the 22. The score stood at 63-0 and remained that way until the end of the game.
SINGAPORE
Nur Azurah MOHAMED KHALID (1 try), KOH Mei Giet, LEE Tao Jing ,Sophie Ngin GOLLIFER, Ailei TANDEAN, Annabel WOO (1 try), WANG Shao-Ing (C)(1 try 3 conversions), ANG Weiyi, Aslinda ABDULLAH, Eunice TAY (VC) (1 conversion), WONG Yilin, Kristy TEH (1 try), Amanda TEO (2 tries), Angelina LIU, LEUNG Wai Mun (3 tries)
Replacements: CHAN Jia Hui (1 try), Priscilla HUMPHRIES, TAN Sze Yin, Karen YEOH, FONG Sei Yin, TAN Hui Juan (1 try), Angela ZHENG
MALAYSIA
Nurulhuda Mat ARIF, Aiza Binti AZMI, Rozzaiti Che ROSLEE, Uni Noor AINI MUHAMMAD, Haslinda Binti MOHD SALLEH, Intan Azfieyantee Bte ARZEY, Aki LOH Nong Sim, Dianatasha Isnariah MUSTAPAR, Sarah MCAULEY, Normasyirah ZAHARI, Felicity Agnes NG, Meiling Sybil CHOONG, LIM Chin Wei (C), Nora Ashikin Bt ABD BASIK, Felicia Adele NG
Replacements: Cut Iffa Izza Binti Tengku ERMANDA, Anne NORWAWI, Mey Shuan, Ija Noor Faizah Binti ABDUL MAJID, Marlia Che Din, Hilda HEW.
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