ASIA NATIONS RUGBY TOURNAMENT: Korea and Singapore in Final

04.06.2011
Singapore v Korea in Ansan (Asia Nations Division 1, Final)

Referee:

Preview
Singapore defeated Malaysia 52-17 to reach today’s final, whilst Korea had to withstand a determined Philippines effort in the second half to eventually win 34-20.

Korea and Singapore last met in 2009 when Singapore made it briefly into the Asia Five Nations competition. Korea won easily and Singapore were relegated to Division 1. The same fate came Korea’s way at the end of the 2010 Asia Five Nations. Now they clash in the final of Division 1 to see who goes up for 2011.

Korea is the favoured team to win but they will need to win by the same 65 point margin of 2009 if their rise back into Asia Five Nations is to be taken seriously. For Singapore to be taken seriously they will need to win well today, and then take a much stronger team into the 2012 Asia Five Nations or they will be bundled out just as quickly as in 2009.

Perhaps it is time to look at the Asia Five Nations competition. I simply do not see any point in Japan fielding their number one side to win by 100 points or more. Perhaps Japan is best suited elsewhere in higher company, and leave the other Asia nations to contend with Japan ‘A’.

Review of Asia Nations Division 1, semi-final games here…
http://www.asian5nations.com/node/383

Last Five Encounters
28.04.2009 Korea 65-0 in Seoul (Asia Five Nations)
25.10.1994 Korea 90-3 in Kuala Lumper (14th Asia Championship)
25.11.1986 Korea 41-9 in Bangkok (10th Asia Championship)
22.11.1982 Korea 32-4 in Singapore (8th Asia Championship)
09.11.1980 Korea 28-12 in Tainan (7th Asia Championship)

GWC Rugby Rankings
Asia Table-Korea 6th, Singapore 7th

IRB Ranking Points
Korea 53.03, Singapore 45.03

Prediction: Korea by 32 points

Teams

Singapore Squad
Suhaimi Amran (Singapore Cricket Club)
Thomas Burns (Singapore Cricket Club)
Jonathan Chen (Bedok Kings RFC)
Kevin Loo Yu Cheng (Singapore Cricket Club)
Alex Chew (Singapore Cricket Club)
Benjamin Goh (Bucks RFC)
Nicholas Groen (Bedok Kings RFC)
Daniel Marc Chow (Singapore Cricket Club)
Matthew Head (Singapore Cricket Club)
Alan Kent (Singapore Cricket Club)
Harresh Krishnan (Singapore Cricket Club)
Sidney Kumar (Bedok Kings RFC)
Gabriel Lee (Singapore Cricket Club)
Jonathan Lee (Singapore Cricket Club)
Peter Mcfeely (Singapore Cricket Club)
Zaki Mahmood (Bedok Kings RFC)
Ashraf Mohamed Nasser (Blacks RFC)
Riady Perdana (Bedok Kings RFC)
Azmi Suliman (Bedok Kings RFC)
Gaspar Tan (Bedok Kings RFC)
Melvin Tan (Singapore Cricket Club)
Erik Vis (Bedok Kings RFC)
Marc Warburton (Singapore Cricket Club)
Leonard Yap (Wanderers RFC)
Head Coach: Des Thornton
Adapted from http://www.singaporerugby.com/2011/05/mens-national-sqaud-for-asian-5-nations.html

Korea Squad not available