COBRA aim to win 10s trophy with the help of two Kiwi coaches
The Star
Wednesday August 11, 2010
By AFTAR SINGH
PETALING JAYA: Combined Old Boys Rugby Association (Cobra) will look to New Zealanders again to help them win the 41st HSBC Cobra 10s tournament, which will be held at the MBPJ Stadium in Kelana Jaya here on Nov 13 and 14.
Kiwi coaches Duncan Robertson and Jeff Matherson guided Cobra to win the tournament in 2008. But they were without the services of the duo when the tournament was held on a small scale last year at the Padang Astaka at the Jalan Utara. And Cobra were outplayed 32-10 by Borneo Eagles of Sabah in the final.
Cobra president Boon Hoon Chee said that this year’s tournament had attracted some of the best clubs teams and they needed the services of the two Kiwi coaches to help them put up strong challenges.
For the game: Deputy chairman of HSBC-Cobra organising committee Datuk Krishnan Tan (right) receiving a cheque from HSBC Bank Malaysia Bhd managing director Malachy McAllister in Petaling Jaya Tuesday as Cobra club president Boon Hoon Chee (left) looks on.
Among the top clubs who have confirmed participation are England’s Penguin International and two South African sides, SA Mustangs and Northlink.
Five foreign clubs will make their debut in the tournament – Milnerton Old Boys from Cape Town, Bristol Rugby Club and three Australia sides – Gordon Rugby from Sydney, Associates Rugby Union Club and Nedlands.
The local teams in the fray include Borneo Eagles, NS Wanderers, Alumni Sekolah Alam Shah (ASAS) and Cobra.
Four more foreign teams have yet to confirmed participation.
Hoon Chee added that Cobra would have the services of four Fijian players – Iiesa Tora, Isoa Turuva, Setariki Ritova and Viliboko Navunika – and they would sign up another four foreign players. “We hope to get three Kiwis and one South African to add more depth to the team,” said Boon Chee, who coached the Cobra team last year.
Meanwhile, the deputy chairman of the organising committee, Datuk Krishnan Tan, received a mock cheque of RM250,000 from the managing director of HSBC Bank Malaysia Bhd, Malachy McAllister, at the Cobra club yesterday. Krishnan, the former Cobra club president, thanked the HSBC for being the title sponsors of the tournament for the sixth consecutive year. “It will cost us about RM1mil to organise the tournament and we are confident of raising the money,” he said.
“It is unfortunate that the tournament will be held during the period of the Asian Games in Guangzhou (from Nov 12-27). But we hope that the media will play their part to ensure that we receive coverage.”