ARAS AND SSTMI DISPLAY CHAMPION SPIRIT WITH SWEEPING WINS

The second day of the MCKK Premier 7's Rugby Championship saw last year's champions, ARAS, assert their dominance once again with a series of breathtaking performances. Returning with the confidence of a debut-year victory, ARAS left their opponents struggling to keep pace.

Group A: ARAS began their title defence with a commanding 67-0 victory over Sekolah Menengah Atas Darunnajah (SMAD), scoring 11 tries and 6 conversions. Continuing their winning streak, ARAS defeated Sekolah Berasrama Penuh Integrasi Kuantan (INTEK) 36-0, adding 6 tries and 3 conversions to their tally. ARAS's sheer dominance set a formidable tone for the rest of the tournament. Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan Sultan Yahya Petra 1 (SSYP1), twice a finalist, also demonstrated their prowess with a resounding 50-0 win against SMAD.

Group B: Last year's finalist, Sekolah Sukan Malaysia Pahang (SSMP), showed their determination to reclaim glory with a powerful 28-5 victory over 2019 champions Sekolah Menengah Sains Hulu Selangor (SEMASHUR), thanks to 4 tries and 4 conversions. SSMP continued their formidable form by defeating Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan Agama Sheikh Hj Othman Abdul Wahab (SHOAW) 31-0 with 5 tries and 3 conversions, reaffirming their status as strong contenders. Despite the setback, SEMASHUR bounced back with a 19-0 victory against Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan Telok Mas (AKRAM).

Group C: Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan Tun Hussein Onn (THOR) enjoyed a successful day, first winning 24-0 against tournament debutants Taoyuan Municipal Guanyin High School (GHS), then defeating Sekolah Dato' Abdul Razak (SDAR) 28-12. Victoria Institution (VI) bounced back from their earlier defeat with a solid 17-5 win against GHS.

Group D: Four-time champions Sekolah Sukan Tunku Mahkota Ismail (SSTMI) displayed their champion spirit with two sweeping victories: a 50-0 triumph over Maktab Tentera Diraja (RMC) and a 27-0 win against Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan King Edward VII (KEVII). RMC, despite their efforts, suffered a 26-0 defeat against Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan ABI.

Group E: Host team The Malay College Kuala Kangsar (MCKK) rebounded from their opening-day draw with a dominant 49-0 victory over Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan St Michael (SMSM). SMSM had earlier managed a narrow win against Sekolah Sultan Alam Shah (SAS), while SAS secured a 10-7 victory in their second match against Sekolah Sains Sultan Mahmud (SESMA).

Group F: 2020 champions Maktab Sultan Abu Bakar/English College (EC) cruised through their first two matches, defeating Shizuoka Seiko Academy (SSA) 34-0 and Sekolah Tuanku Abdul Rahman (STAR) 38-0. SSA continued to struggle, losing 38-7 to Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan HOSBA (HOSBA).

The best eight teams will be announced later in the evening, setting the stage for Sunday's Cup quarter-finals. The final day of the MCKK Premier 7's 2024 will feature the Shield, Plate and Cup finals, with the Cup final scheduled to kick off at approximately 5:15pm.

As the tournament reaches its thrilling conclusion, anticipation is building for what promises to be an unforgettable finale at the MCKK Premier 7's Rugby Championship 2024. Stay tuned for more electrifying rugby action.