Impian Perak ke suku akhir saingan Divisyen Satu Ragbi Piala Agong 2019 tidak kesampaian apabila tumpas 5-36 kepada Negeri Sembilan di Padang Kolej Tuanku Jaafar, Mantin, petang tadi.
Namun, kegembiraan tuan rumah berikutan kejayaan mereka itu hanya seketika kerana Kuala Lumpur melakukan kejutan dengan mengatasi Angkatan Tentera Malaysia (ATM) untuk merebut slot terakhir ke suku akhir.
Negeri Sembilan, yang perlu menang dengan lebih 20 mata untuk berpeluang ke suku akhir seandainya Kuala Lumpur tumpas, jelas menunjukkan keinginan tinggi bagi meneruskan kemaraan.
Tuan rumah, yang tumpas dalam dua perlawanan awal sewaktu berdepan ATM dan Kuala Lumpur, meningkatkan persembahan dan langsung tidak memberi peluang kepada pelawat dan mendahului 15-0 dalam babak pertama.
Negeri Sembilan terus mengganas dalam babak kedua dan berjaya menambah 21 mata melalui tiga try dan tiga conversion berbanding satu try dicatat Perak sebelum disambut berita pedih susulan kejayaan 38-27 Kuala Lumpur ke atas ATM di Padang Bellamy.
Turut mara ke suku akhir ialah Terengganu, Johor, Kelantan dan Kedah daripada Divisyen Premier serta Sabah, wakil dari Borneo.
Terengganu menumpaskan Kelantan 75-8 untuk mengekalkan rekod tanpa kalah dalam tiga perlawanan sambil Johor menduduki tempat kedua dengan membelasah Kedah 92-3, Kelantan ketiga dan Kedah keempat.
Satu lagi pasukan ke suku akhir ialah pemenang play-off di antara Pahang dan PDRM yang akan berlangsung Sabtu depan.
Azizan Hashim
Sat Oct 19 2019


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