By Ahmed Wafi
The IIUM Mustangs rugby team had crashed out of the Malaysian Rugby Division one Championships after losing out to Kor Jurutera Letrik dan Jentera DiRaja (JLJ DiRaja) rugby team, but despite the loss, the Mustangs insist that they will focus on upcoming tournaments that will be held later this year.
Among the tournaments that the Mustangs wish to focus on are the Super 8, the Majlis Sukan Universiti Malaysia (MASUM), and the Super Eight tournaments to be held later in May and September this year respectively.
The Mustangs’ first game of the tournament was against the Iskandar Troopers on 4February at the IIUM stadium in which they were runaway winners with a 48-7 scoreline.
They fell short in the second group stage game against Beringin Rendang with the scoreline ending 38-29. However, the Mustangs still managed to qualify for the quarter final but were defeated convincingly 24-5 against JLJ DiRaja.
The Malaysian Rugby Division one Championships acted as a warmup for the IIUM varsity team and they will be looking to deliver in the upcoming tournaments.
The Mustangs came close to tasting a gold medal in the highly esteemed Higher Education Institute Games (SUKIPT) last year but ended the games with a bronze medal losing to the eventual winner UPM.***