(KUALA KANGSAR) – The Selangor-based Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan Jalan Tiga (ARAS) clinched the title of champions at the 11th edition of MCKK Rugby Premier 7s (P7s) 2023 Championship, marking a new era by defeating Sekolah Sukan Malaysia Pahang (SSMP) with a commanding 24-0 victory in the Cup category final held at The Malay College Kuala Kangsar field today.
From the outset, ARAS demonstrated their dominance, relentlessly launching attacks right from the start, leaving SSMP unable to contain their advances. Selangor’s representatives made it clear with two tries and a conversion during the first half, establishing a comfortable 12-0 lead over SSMP.
As the second half commenced, SSMP found themselves struggling to mount any effective offensive plays to rival their counterparts or secure a try. Conversely, the ARAS team continued to shine during the second half, securing two more tries and a conversion, ultimately closing the match with a resounding 24-0 triumph.
Two outstanding ARAS players, Anas Zulkarnain Mizan and Wan Danial Syazwan Wan Zulkifli, were honoured as the Players of the Match and recognized as the Best Players of the Tournament, respectively.
The awards ceremony was graced by the esteemed presence of His Royal Highness Raja Jaafar Raja Muda Musa, the Crown Prince of Perak.
Meanwhile, in the battle for third and fourth place, Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan Tun Hussein Onn (THOR) secured victory by overcoming the 2020 champions, Maktab Sultan Abu Bakar (EC), with a score of 19-12.
In the semi-final encounters, SSMP advanced to the final by comfortably defeating THOR 24-15, while ARAS triumphed over EC with an overwhelming 43-0 performance in the second semi-final.
In the Plate category final, the select team from Sekolah Sukan Tunku Mahkota Ismail (SSTMI) emerged victorious by defeating the host team, MCKK, with a score of 20-12. SSTMI, who had previously clinched the championship four times in 2011, 2012, 2016, and 2017, experienced an early exit in the quarter-finals, facing a 0-24 defeat at the hands of SSMP.
MCKK, facing a similar fate, was halted in the quarter-finals by EC, who triumphed with a final score of 7-20.
In the Bowl category final, Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan HOSBA (SMKH) claimed the championship title by outclassing Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan Sultan Yahya Petra 1 (SSYP1) with an emphatic score of 35-5.
In the Shield category final, Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan Sultan Sulaiman (ART) emerged as the champions after defeating Sekolah Tuanku Abdul Rahman (STAR) with a score of 17-5.
A total of 24 teams enthusiastically participated in the 11th edition of the MCKK Rugby Premier 7s (P7s) Championship, with the inclusion of two international teams – Shizuoka Seiko Academy from Japan and Sekolah Menengah Agama Darunnajah Islamic (SMAD) from Jakarta, Indonesia, adding a global dimension to the competition.
