Lackluster China scrape through to face Malaysia

China who are currently placed 44th in the official International Rugby Board World Rankings and came into this year’s Asian 5 Nations Division 2 Tournament as overwhelming favourites struggled to an unconvincing win over Pakistan yesterday.

The game, played at the U.I.T.M. Stadium in Shah Alam, Malaysia got off to a slow start and to be frank never really picked up pace throughout. China looked the part, with tall, lean locks, a solid front row and athletic three-quarters but collectively they lacked a vital component required to impress at this level; passion.

The entire China team appeared to be merely going through the motions and doing so with little apparent tactical strategy, whereas the Pakistan team whose forwards resembled a club fourth team in physique had passion in bucket loads. Their forwards, led by No8 Mansoor Rehan, who plies his trade for the home town club of former England hooker Brian Moore, Old Crossleyans in Halifax, England, started well hitting every contact situation in numbers.

China did go 3-0 up after an early penalty from scrum-half Bo Zhou but all there efforts to run the ball were repelled by the terrier like Pakistan team. China unnerved by the ferocious defence began to make a number of basic handling errors and on 15 minutes Pakistan wing Arslan Zahid was able to intercept a loose pass and hare away to put his team ahead at 5-3.

For a ten minute period China then found some structure and managed to run in two tries through centre, Yi Li and wing Guoliong Yu, the second of which was converted by Bo Zhou. A gap of ten points had now opened up and surely China who had been relegated from Division 1 last season for failing to attend the tournament in Tainan, Chinese Taipei would now exert some authority and control the remainder of the game.

The thing that no one, barring the most ardent Pakistan supporters had factored into the equation was that the passion and heart displayed by Pakistan early on was no flash in the pan. This team, who don’t have an official world ranking as yet and who due to the current situation in Pakistan have not been able to attract an overseas coach to assist with preparations are a proud and tenacious bunch. No doubt a few recent sessions with the famous Penguin International Rugby Football Club have helped but much credit must go to coach Rizwan Malik for instilling such self belief throughout his charges.

Right on half-time Pakistan pulled themselves right back into the game at 15-12 with a try by centre Sair Riaz, converted by the versatile centre Kashif Khawaja, who has previously been capped as a loose forward.

China extended their lead by three points with another Bo Zhou penalty, however Sri Lankan referee D.Nimal had occasion to sin bin two Chinese players within a few minutes and for a period they were down to thirteen.

Although looking at times as if they possessed some class, China never seemed to hit top gear. They did add a try on 54 minutes through long striding full-back Qiang Li, again converted by Bo Zhou but even at 25-13 they did not look comfortable.

Roared on by the small but vocal band of Pakistani supporters the men in green narrowed the gap with a captain’s score by Khawaja, which he then duly converted himself. 25-19 and for twelve minutes the highly improbable seemed to become a possibility as Pakistan threw everything bar the kitchen sink at China.

It was not to be and China go forward to Saturday’s final and a bid for promotion. They will need to summon up some spirit over the next three days if they are to achieve that aim. As for Pakistan, this unlikely looking team can hold their heads high. They left nothing at all on the pitch and in terms of sheer effort this was a commendable performance in what is this developing rugby nation's biggest ever match.

The second game of the afternoon was an altogether superior game all round with 78th ranked Malaysia taking on the fast improving India who are ranked 81st. Both teams have southern hemisphere coaches, with ex Waikato and Hong Kong, Dean ‘Deano’ Herewini in charge of Malaysia and South Africans, Norman Laker and Hendre Marnitz co-coaching India.

Malaysia settled the quicker of the two teams and within 12 minutes had opened up a ten point lead through a Rahman penalty and then a Nacani Seniu try again converted by Rahman. India though rebounded swiftly and after a period of pressure close to the Malaysia line prop Parvinder Singh muscled his way over to touch down.Sethna added the extras to make it 10-7.

Two more Rahman penalties opened up a little breathing space, but then Indian centre Bikash Jena applied the pressure once again. The conversion being successful the score -line now stood at 16-14. Right on half-time livewire scrum-half Lee Wei Meng got n the score sheet and with another Rahman conversion Malaysia led 23-14 at the break.

Almost immediately after the restart India chipped away at the lead Sethna slotting penalty, but this was to be India’s last points for another sixteen minutes in which the home side turned the screw and dominated proceedings. The Malaysian back-line has a South Sea Islands flavour to it and hard running centre pairing of Timoci Nacokula and Nacini Seniu committed two and three defenders to the tackle time and again creating space and opportunities for their team-mates.

Tries were added by Nacokula himself and winger Semi Sovunidakua before captain and No 8 Mohd Azwan Azimi got in on the act. At 40-17 Malaysia now seemed to have the game well and truly wrapped up. India were not about to roll over and die however and the year long residential training camp which their players are presently mid-way through, on the run-up to the Delhi Commonwealth Games has clearly had a dramatic effect on their fitness levels.

First captain Nasser Hussain and then substitute Ganesh Sawant crossed the Malaysian line with the second try being converted. Unfortunately for India it was too little too late and a late Malaysia penalty left the final score at 43-29.

Malaysia in my book go into Saturday’s final with every chance of promotion and it remains to be seen whether China have the stomach for what will be a hard day at the office whatever the result.

India should have too much class for Pakistan, but this is likely to be a highly charged affair. Pakistan will hope the injury to No 8 Mansoor Rehan will not keep him out, and with his inspiration and direction Pakistan will not go down without a fight.

This article is also available in the following Country/s. Malaysia, India, China