Brunei National Rugby Team

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Brunei

Union

Brunei Rugby Union





Team colours





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First international

Brunei 3 - 22 Singapore
(1999-05-08)

Largest win

Brunei 32 - 17 Laos
(2006-06-27)

Worst defeat

India 73 - 8 Brunei
(2005-12-15)

The Brunei National Rugby Team represents Brunei in international rugby union. They have yet to make their debut at the Rugby World Cup. The governing body of rugby in Brunei, the Brunei Rugby Football Union is still in its infancy, being admitted into the Asian Rugby Football Union in 2004, and more recently, into the International Rugby Board in 2006.

[edit] History

The Brunei Rugby Football Union registered officially as a society in November 2004, and has been formally admitted as an associate member of the Asian Rugby Football Union. It was granted full membership in the game's controlling body,the International Rugby Board in late 2005.

Rugby Union, which is played in 105 countries around the world, has already been played in Brunei since the 1950s. According to the archives of the Royal Brunei Yacht Club, a 'Town Rugby Football Team' played a team from Seria in 1957. In the mid 1970s, rugby in Brunei grew in popularity with the influx of expatriates from Britain and active participation from the Royal Brunei Armed Forces (RBAF), Brunei Shell Recreation Club, Royal Brunei Yacht Club, the Panaga Club and the British Garrison in Seria.

The Brunei Rugby Football Union was set up in 1977, affiliated to the Rugby Football Union (RFU) of Twickenham. From then on, Brunei regularly sent teams to take part in 'Sevens' competitions around the region, especially the SCC Sevens in Singapore and the prestigious Hong Kong Sevens.

A domestic competition took place from 1978 to 1993, involving regular teams like the Panaga Club, the Royal Brunei Yacht Club, the British Garrison, the Royal Brunei Armed Forces, the Royal Brunei Police and Pirates RFC.

Some clubs also organised Rugby 7s and 10s competitions from time to time, but the large number of British and Commonwealth expatriates leaving the state in the late 1990s led to a decline in the number of such tournaments.

Despite the fact that the Brunei Rugby Football Union has been around since 1977, it was never officially registered with the Registrar of Society until the November of 2004.

Since joining the Asian Rugby Union, the Brunei Rugby Team has taken part in a number of international competitions. Although presently recording a rather unfavourable Win-Loss ration in the international rugby scene, Brunei rugby is continually improving with efforts being concentrated in the development of youth players through the Under-19 Squad

[edit] Under-19 Squad

The Under-19 National Rugby Squad of Brunei is seen as a platform from which the Brunei Rugby Football Union seeks to develop young players for the Senior team. Currently, the Under-19 squad has played in two Asian Under-19 Rugby Tournaments in Lahore, Pakistan and Taipei, Taiwan respectively.

The first ever Brunei Under-19 Rugby International was played against the Pakistan Under-19 Team in Lahore. Brunei surprisingly beat the hosts 14-5 - an upset considering the relative populations of the two nations.

The members of the first ever Brunei Under-19 Squad selected for the 2005 Asian Under-19 Rugby Tournament are as follows:

Manager: Stuart Alpe

Coaches: Tim Lian (Backs), Shafeek Kamalie (Forwards)

Players: Hj Mohd Azmiee Hj Mohd Sunnylai, Christian Daniel (Didi) Wong Kim Him, Yeo Hock Wee, Emmanuel bin Surat, Md Hanafi Yusof, Adrin Anak Salanjat, Mohd Halim Mustaffa, Muhammad Aziman bin Awang Nasir, Muhammed Raushan Mohd Yuzer, Ak Muhd Zulhilmi Pg Suhaimi, Mohd Farhan Hj Ismail, Samuel Tan, Abd Amir bin Matjaneh, Faridzul Daud Ak Dumi, Dinlee Ak Apo, Md Isa bin Haji Mohamad, Ak Abd Muiz Pg Hj Abd Rahman, Mohd Sallihen Hj Bujang, Izzul Imaduddin bin Hamzah.