Malaysia: 41st HSBC COBRA 10s 2010

Sukandaily.com.my · Nov 15, 2010

www.nst.com.my said:
Penguins Rugby Football Club of England celebrate after defeating New Zealand Legends 21-7 to win the overall ***le yesterday. â€" Picture by Osman Adnan

PENGUINS Rugby Football Club (RFC) of England beat New Zealand Legends 21-7 to win the overall ***le of the HSBC-Cobra Rugby 10s at Petaling Jaya Stadium yesterday. Defending champions Borneo Eagles and Combined Old Boys Rugby Association (Cobra) Blacks were relegated to the Plate competition after both were beaten in the quarter-finals yesterday.

Penguins coach John Mckittrick said his team had built on their performance at the recent Singapore Cricket Club (SCC) Sevens to win their fourth Cobra 10s ***le.

"We are elated to win here again and it really has been a great two days of high intensity rugby for us," said McKittrick."

"We have been working hard on our defensive structure which has made it harder for opponents to score against us."

Penguins RFC last took the ***le in 2006.

As expected, Cobra Blacks went down tamely to eventual finalists, the New Zealand Legends, 24-5 while the Borneo Eagles also lost disappointingly, this time to Ponsonby of New Zealand 29-0.

Cobra Blacks, however, beat Borneo Eagles en route to the final of the Plate competition before losing a tightly contested match in wet conditions to Gungahlin Eagles of Australia 19-15.

Cobra Blacks coach Duncan Robertson said: "The boys did really well to make the Plate final in which they lost the match in the dying minutes.

"Compared to when we won the ***le a few years ago, the team this year did not feature any big names, so to come as far as we have, is quite a good achievement," added Robertson.

Luke Mealamu, player-cum-coach for the Borneo Eagles, said fatigue and injury were the main reasons his team were not at their best in the tournament.

"We had already prepared well for the quarter-final against Ponsonby but the effects of playing in so many tournaments has taken its toll on the boys," said Mealamu.

"We are disappointed to have lost as defending champions but overall it has been a good experience for our boys."

Promising newcomers Wainuimata of New Zealand, who had come with a young team, did well to reach the Bowl final but could not overcome Northens Northlink Rugby Club (NNK) of South Africa, losing 31-0.

Read more: Penguins walk tall http://www.nst.com.my/nst/articles/ok_eopek/Article#ixzz15KOi9rcm