SMK Jalan Tiga players with organisers and Raja Jaafar (in yellow) after being crowned champions of the 11th MCKK Rugby Premier 7s 2023 Championship.
SMK Jalan Tiga (Aras) won the 11th MCKK Rugby Premier 7s (P7s) 2023 Championship, after whitewashing Sekolah Sukan Malaysia Pahang (SSMP) in the one-sided Cup category final.
The Selangor-based Aras wasted no time and demonstrated their dominance from the outset by attacking SSMP’s defences.
Aras’ relentless attacks left SSMP scrambling to contain their advances but Selangor’s representatives were able to establish a comfortable 12-0 lead in the first half from two tries and a conversion.
As the second half commenced, SSMP struggled to mount any effective offensive play to rival their counterparts or secure a try.
The Aras team, however, continued to outclass their opponents in 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, 16, and Wan Danial Syazwan Wan Zulkifli, 17, were awarded the Player of the Match and Best Player of the Tournament, respectively.
The third placing and final matches as well as awards ceremony were graced by Raja Muda of Perak Raja Jaafar Raja Muda Musa at The Malay College Kuala Kangsar (MCKK) field in Perak.
Raja Jaafar (second from right) with (from left) P7s co-chairman All Black Revival (ABR) Committee chairman Amrul Hazarin Hamidon, MCOBA president Tunku Datuk Ahmad Burhanuddin and MCKK principal and P7s co-chairman Mohd Shahadan Abd Rahman.
Meanwhile, SMK Tun Hussein Onn (Thor) secured third place by overcoming the 2020 champions Maktab Sultan Abu Bakar (EC) with a score of 19-12.
In the Cup semi-finals, SSMP secured their spot in the final by defeating Thor 24-15, while Aras triumphed over EC with an overwhelming 43-0 performance in the other semi-final.
In the Plate category final, the team from Sekolah Sukan Tunku Mahkota Ismail (SSTMI) emerged victorious by defeating the host team MCKK with a score of 20-12.
SSTMI, which had previously clinched the championship four times in 2011, 2012, 2016 and 2017, suffered an early exit in the Cup quarter finals after a 0-24 defeat at the hands of SSMP.
MCKK’s campaign also ended in the Cup quarter-finals stage, suffering defeat at the hands of EC, who won 20-7.
In the Bowl category final, SMK Hosba (SMKH) claimed the championship title by outclassing SMK Sultan Yahya Petra 1 (SSYP1) with a score of 35-5.
In the Shield category final, SMK Sultan Sulaiman (Art) emerged as champions after defeating Sekolah Tuanku Abdul Rahman (STAR) with a score of 17- 5.
A total of 24 top performing school rugby teams participated in the 11th edition of the Championship, including two international teams – Shizuoka Seiko Academy from Japan and SM Agama Darunnajah Islamic (SMAD) from Jakarta, Indonesia.
The 11th edition organised by the Malay College Old Boys Association (MCOBA) and MCKK marked the return of the annual Under-18 tournament which was last held in 2019.
