File photo shows Tourism, Arts, Culture, Youth and Sports Minister Datuk Abdul Karim Hamzah (centre) presenting the trophy to the team captain from SMK Sacred Heart after winning the Boys’ U-18 category of the Bro Albinus Challenge Cup. Looking on are Jeffery (right), Wong (third right) and Song (seventh right).
SIBU: Sibu Division Rugby Union churned out another successful year when it bagged four titles out of 10 rugby tournaments held in the state throughout the year.
The four titles were the Bernard Ting-Allan Richard Wan-Moh Ung Bing 15-aside Rugby Memorial Cup, Sibu 10-aside Bro Albinus Rugby Challenge Cup, Mukah 10-aside and Bintulu 10-aside. Sibu also emerged second in the 2018 President Cup in Kuching and the Baram 10-aside in Miri.
SDRU chief coach Michael Ting described the achievements as satisfactory and encouraging.
“It’s all due to our team of players as well as the team of management who worked extremely hard to ensure that the sport will remain lively and kicking in the state,” he added.
Ting was also grateful to SDRU’s patron Dato Sri Barthomolew Wong and Sarawak Rugby Union (SRU) president Richard Song for showing great concern towards the development of the sport in Sarawak.
“With people like Wong and Song at the helm, there is no denying that the development of rugby in the state can only go up.”
For the next year edition, Ting said most of the tournaments would be retained.
“Hopefully, we can get an interesting number of teams to participate in all the tournaments to make it more competitive.”
Basically, the three Ting brothers, Jeffery, Michael and Anthony are the backbone of the SRDU team.
Jeffery is SDRU’s president, Anthony is the chairman while Michael is the coach.
The three of them are instrumental in making what rugby is today, as far as the development of the sport in Sibu is concerned.
And in the words of Song, the Ting’s brothers are responsible for making the beautiful game of rugby alive in Sibu.
“Without the Ting’s brothers, Sibu rugby will not be what it is today,” he added.
Song said he would try his best to support all the rugby tournaments that come along the way, rain or shine.