Darryll invites the public to support the teams at this year’s 51st Cobra 10s Rugby Tournament with free admission at Padang Astaka. — ART CHEN/The Star
THe Cobra Rugby Club’s annual mini tournament is set to raise the bar this year with international teams entering the fray.
This year’s mini tournament on Nov 8 and 9 will feature nearly 150 teams across various age groups.
And for the first time, teams from Japan and Sri Lanka will join the competition.
“We are thrilled to welcome international teams,” said the Petaling Jaya club’s president Darryll Sinnappa after announcing the upcoming 51st Cobra 10s rugby tournament.
“It’s a fantastic opportunity for our young players to experience international competition right here at home,” he said.
The club, founded in 1967, has significantly expanded its junior development programme since 2013.
From just 20 children, the programme now boasts over 500 participants aged six to 16.
Each age group will compete within its own bracket to ensure fair play.
Children under six will play non-contact touch rugby, focusing on basic skills and teamwork.
Meanwhile, physical contact is introduced gradually for older participants in line with World Rugby’s guidelines.
The tournament will take place on rugby pitches maintained by the club at Padang Astaka near the Cobra Rugby Club in Petaling Jaya, Selangor.
This is following the Cobra 10s Invitational on Nov 2 and 3.
Darryll said the timing of the Cobra 10s was the perfect opportunity to expose budding players to elite coaches from New Zealand, Australia and the UK.
He said the club planned to organise coaching clinics with visiting team coaches not only for Cobra’s grassroots development, but also for a number of surrounding schools in Petaling Jaya.
“Bringing in top-tier coaches benefits everyone and helps raise the standard of rugby in Malaysia, not just for the junior players but for our local coaches too,” he said.
Cobra Rugby Club also boasts successful girls’ teams in various age categories.
“The achievements of the girls teams highlight our commitment to developing talent across all areas of the sport,” said Darryll.
The Cobra 10s Invitational will see 14 teams competing for honours, with 10 international teams and four Malaysian teams in the mix.
The Malaysian teams are Cobra, KL Tigers RFC, SSTMI Tsunami and Royal Town Warriors.
The international teams are from Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, the UK, Sri Lanka and Japan.
Australian teams Casuarina Cougars and NS Silverbacks, SA Tigers from South Africa, Koko Samoa (Samoa), Penguin Rugby FC (UK) and New Zealand teams –Palmy Steel, Global Lions, Pakuranga Rugby and Varsity Vipers – are among the teams who could be tough competitors for this year’s tournament.
Darryll said the senior-level competition offered Malaysian players a chance to compete against high-calibre international opponents.
“The Cobra 10s is about exposure and growth; our local players will have the chance to test themselves against teams from rugby powerhouses, some of whom will become among the world’s elite rugby players,” he added.
Admission for both tournaments is free and open to the public.
“We invite everyone to come support the teams and experience the excitement,” said Darryll.
