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Hong Kong won the Borneo Sevens title on Sunday, beating Japan 31-28 in the second of two ranking events in the ARFU Asian Rugby Sevens Series, giving them momentum heading into the Asian Games in Guangzhou on 21-23 November.

Korea won the first ranking event, the Shanghai Sevens in September, and both sides will head to the Asian Games in China later this month buoyed by their performances, having also qualified to play at the 2011 Hong Kong Sevens.

The top six teams after the two ranking events win a prestigious ticket to the event next March and in a repeat of last year's final, Hong Kong took revenge on defending champions Japan to win the Borneo leg of the Asian Rugby Seven Series at the Likas Stadium in rainy conditions.

Hong Kong took an early lead when Jamie Hood broke free for a try but Japan answered almost immediately to level the scores. Both sides scored again before the end of the first half, but a missed conversion from Hong Kong's second try meant Japan led 14-12 at the break.

Three early tries in the second half, with two courtesy of prop Kwok Kah Chun, gave Hong Kong an unassailable 31-14 lead. Although Japan came back strongly in the dying minutes, it was a case of too little, too late as Hong Kong held on for the victory.

"Japan is a difficult team to defeat and it was a great win for us, especially as we head towards the Asian Games. This team has been together for over a year and it's quite possibly the best squad we have ever had," said a jubilant Hong Kong coach Dai Rees.
"It is especially nice to win in Borneo, Malaysia, which I believe is one of the best venues on the circuit."

Read more on the IRB Official Website...

25 July, 2010

The KK Sharks RFC are the 2010 Labuan 10's Cup Champions. In a hard-fought final the Tanjung Aru-based rugby club overcame a strong University Technology Mara (Sabah Campus) side. While the conventional 15-a-side version of the sport is the most well known, rugby 10's (also known as ten-a-side rugby) is a variant of the game that is thriving in Malaysia.

Saturday's event was the 9th edition of this annual tournament, which is one of the biggest tournaments in the East Malaysian rugby calendar, and it took place in Labuan at the LDA padang, located near to the Financial Park.

The KK Sharks faced stiff competition from the beginning being drawn in the same group as the Sabah Eagles, one of Malaysia's strongest teams.

However, they emerged from the "group of death" in first place and earned the right to go into the Cup stage full of confidence. The first Cup semi-final pitted defending champions UiTM Sabah against the SEAHAWKS (Royal Malaysian Airforce) from West Malaysia. UiTM emerged victorious. In the second Cup semi-final saw Tawau Rugby Club take on the KK Sharks. It was a scrappy game but the Sharks were too strong for Tawau. The well-organised KK Sharks defence pressurised the Tawau team and led to an interception try for KK Sharks captain Azrul Apo. Another late try by the Shark's captain sealed the win.

In the final UiTM and the KK Sharks - quite evenly matched teams - went head-to-head in an intense battle. In the first half the Sharks struck first and took a 12 -0 lead with tries by Philip Simon and Zoolhisharm Zulkarnain. In the second half the UiTM Sabah team pulled back with a converted try to make it 12 - 7 which setup a grandstand finish. However the KK Sharks held on to capture their first ever Labuan 10's trophy.

The next big event on the local rugby calendar is the SRU President's Cup, a 15-a-side rugby competition to decide who will be the 2010 Sabah Champions.

UPCOMING RUGBY EVENTS

Event : 'GILBERT' SRU President's Cup
Date : Dates have been differed until further notice
Venue : TBC

Event : Agung's Cup
Date : Dates have been differed until further notice
Venue : TBC

Event : SRU Charity Dinner
Date : 7th August, 2010 (Saturday)
Venue : TBC

Event : Jonah Jones 7s
Date : 25th & 26th September, 2010
Venue : Royal Selangor Club, Selangor D.E

Event : BARAM Trophy
Date : November, 2010
Venue : Miri
Organiser : Miri Rugby Union

Event : Miri 7s
Date : October, 2010
Venue : Miri, Sarawak

Event : Borneo 7s
Date : 30th & 31st October, 2010
Venue : Likas Sports Complex, KK

Event : Cobra 10s
Date : 14th & 15th November, 2010
Venue : Padang Utara, PJ.

Event : KK Sharks Tour
Date 11th to 15th November, 2010
Plan ~ Friendly match btwn KK Sharks n Cobra Stingers
Date ~ 12th November, 2010 (Friday)
Time ~ 5.00pm
Veue ~ Padang Utara, PJ
~ attending the Cobra 10s tournament.

Event: Rainforest World Music Festival
Location: Sarawak Cultural Village, Santubong (near Kuching, capital of Sarawak)
Date: 10 - 12 July 2009

The first thing I noticed about the Rainforest World Music Festival was the quite stunning setting, the surroundings of the Sarawak Cultural Village in Santubong, just 45 minutes drive from Kuching.

There are few music festivals in the world that claim to have an immediate environment that is quite so lovely. There is the lush vegetation, the quiet calm aura, the authentic reproductions of the traditional wooden huts and longhouses of the various Sarawak ethnic tribes, and towering up behind it all is the Gunung Santubong (Mount Santubong) - rising steeply from sea level to 2,658 feet ! (bring your hiking boots if you're up for a jolly climbing jaunt before or after the festival).

Music "workshops" start at 2pm each day continue until 5pm. They take place at 3 different sites within the cultural village: The Theatre, Dewan Lagenda, and the Iban Longhouse.

The first one we visited featured "Gypsy" music with bands from France, Hungary and Poland each introducing their instruments, their music and where it originated, and playing a few songs infront of an enthusiastic audience before all the bands joined together and embark, in the final act, in the RWMF's signature jamming sessions

Those jamming sessions, and the enthusiasm of the audiences, were the second and third things I noticed about the Rainforest World Music Festival.

Throughout the grounds the atmosphere was just perfect. People were ready to have a good time and to really listen to and appreciate the music, which is traditional, sometimes ancient music sometimes played on instruments you've never seen before, let alone heard.

The bands have flown in from different parts of the world, each representing a musical heritage and traditional styles, from China, Chile, Canada, Hungary, USA, France, New Zealand, Sabah, Peninsular Malaysia, Korea, Tanzania, Portugal, and more. The jamming sessions are planned but not rehearsed i.e. the musicians who sit in on the workshops know that they will be jamming with each other, but they jam together for the first time ever.

These spontaneous jams were like alchemy. The jams never lasted long but they were magical at times: We were witnessing the creation of new music before our very own eyes.

From 7pm onwards the main event is ready to roll, and people start making their way from the food and beverage tents to the main stage.

The party goes on until midnight each night.

And there are plenty of drinks for the thirsty ;)

Its not pop, or rock or whatever is new and "trendy". It was better than that. And the vibe around the festival was pure magic.

Recommend:
- Booking flights and hotels early because they get booked up quickly
- Going for the whole weekend, Friday to Sunday (flying in on Thurs and out on Mon)
- Attending the workshops from 2 - 5pm
- Staying in one of the hotels near the festival site, or at the festival site itself in one of the longhouses
- Visiting Kuching city, strolling around the waterfront bazaar and visiting the museums

Don't recommend:
- Staying in Kuching and commuting to and from the festival everyday