SOUTH KOREA WIN ARC OPENING MATCH OVER MALAYSIA
The 2023 Asia Rugby Championship kicked-off with an exciting encounter between South Korea and Malaysia. The Koreans triumphed by a decisive score of 27-3 at the IIUM Saidina Hamzah Stadium in Kuala Lumpur. With the support of strong home supporters, the Malaysian squad showed a good fighting performance.
South Korea displayed their desire to dominate the game when Yongheung Chang scored an early try. Then Mohd Fairuz AB Rahman managed to put Malaysia on the scoreboard with a penalty kick, bringing the score to 3-5. However, Korea responded strongly. Kimin Kim slipped through for a try in the 28th minute, giving his team a 10-3 lead. Kimin scored a penalty before Geon Lee delivered another try, giving the visitors a good 20-3 advantage at halftime.
The match resumed after the break, and South Korea continued with their mission. A try by Jeongwook Hwang stretched their lead when the Malaysians were still trying to get their acts right. The Koreans showed great teamwork throughout the match, which made it a difficult day for the Malaysians. Both sides had to play in extreme heat in the first half and a thunderstorm in the second half. The final score stood at 27-3 in favour of Korea.
