Fijians Tamanisau and Saukuru back to beef-up Malaysia for Sri Lanka playoff

KUALA LUMPUR: The return of two naturalised players from Fiji is expected to provide a significant boost to the Malaysia Rugby 15’s squad as they prepare for their playoff match against Sri Lanka in the Asian Rugby Championship on April 19 in Colombo.

Malaysia Rugby have successfully brought back Samuela Tamanisau and Etonia Vaqa Saukuru, who were not part of the national squad last year. Their return to the team will bolster the Hibiscus’ chances, bringing much-needed relief to head coach Saizul Haffifi Mohd Noor.

Both players are no strangers to the national squad in the Asian Rugby Championship. Tamanisau, who plays in the backline, represented Malaysia in the 2018 edition, while Saukuru, a regular in the backrow, last wore the national jersey during the 2022 Asian Rugby Championship, three years ago.

“I contacted both of them earlier, and it was clear they still wanted to represent the country, especially since they’ve been playing regularly in the Fiji league. When they arrived, I could see they were in good shape and truly ready to help us face Sri Lanka.

“The local players are also excited about the arrival of Tamanisau and Saukuru, as they never expected to receive help from naturalised players this year. Most of them have never played alongside players from Fiji before.

“Their presence has already made a positive impact, especially in the forward and backline departments, as many of the young players can learn from them. It’s also a morale boost for the team ahead of the Sri Lanka match,” said Saizul.

Both players have already begun training sessions with the rest of the squad, comprising 28 players, at the Universiti Malaya grounds yesterday.

Two friendly matches have also been scheduled to test the team’s chemistry and tactics, with the first against KL Tigers on Thursday, followed by a match against Muamalat Bullets on Saturday.

Last year, Malaysia, coached by Farid Syazwan Abu Bakar, opted for naturalised players from England, including Harvey Preston at scrum-half and Lee Chapman. Unfortunately, the national squad struggled, losing all three of their matches against Hong Kong, South Korea, and newcomers, the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

Malaysia desperately need a win in Colombo next week to maintain their place in the Premier Division of the Asian Rugby Championship, having qualified for that division in 2018.

Ironically, Malaysia defeated Sri Lanka in 2017 when both teams were still competing in Division 1, a result that ultimately propelled The Hibiscus into the Premier Division.