Match Review Malaysia vs Singapore – SEA Women’s XV Championship 2026 Starts With a Draw

The opening match of the SEA Women’s XV Championship 2026 was played at Padang Astaka, Petaling Jaya, Selangor, on Sunday, 8th February, with Hong Kong China Referee Sunny Lee taking charge of the Malaysia vs Singapore Test a week after she refereed the final of the Women’s 7s match at the HSBC SVNS Singapore.

Not that it mattered, as it had been so long since either Union’s Women’s 15s side had played a Test, but Singapore was ranked #48, and Malaysia was not ranked in the 68 nations World Rugby lists going into the match.

Boudsadee Vongdala from the Lao Rugby Federation and Nur Ziyan Zahirah (Malaysia Rugby Union) were the Assistant Referees.

SEA Women’s XV Championship 2026 Opening Match

Singapore kicked off, and there was a first scrum in the 1st minute and the first Singapore lineout in the 3rd minute. Singapore had all the ball and territory and scored in the 6th minute after several phases, but there was really stubborn defence from the Malaysians to defend their home patch. It was #11 Rachel Li Ting Tan who scored Singapore’s first Test points in Women’s 15s since 2019.

#20 Malaysian wing Kajolin Jensen is one of their most lethal threats in 7s Rugby, and showed with space in XVs she is also dangerous. 

Photo Credit – Malaysia Rugby Union – Malaysia’s Kajolin Jensen – a threat in 7s and 15s rugby

It was a scrappy start with quite a few dropped balls – but with it being a first Test in such a long time, everyone will need to be patient with the development and skills on display. 

Malaysia has opportunities with the ball in hand and in space, but Singapore was winning the battle for the rucks and stealing turnovers from isolated runners.

Malaysia turned to the pick and go from 7 metres out to try and level the game, and did so with a well-worked try from the forwards in the 19th minute. #18 Ismail Maslina got the five points with the conversion coming off the posts from flyhalf Ridwan Rozliana. 

There were mandatory water breaks after 20 minutes due to the humidity and heat in Kuala Lumpur.

Photo Credit – Malaysia Rugby Union

Singapore again dominated the possession and played all the rugby in Malaysia’s half after the break, but consistent ball-handling errors handed the ball back to the hosts. Both sides were also guilty of losing their shape in atack limiting the options for the scrumhaves and flyhaves to get the ball moving.

Singapore had the scrum dominance too and won scrum penalties. Loose head prop Felicia Zhong Cheng powered over from short range to score a try to retake the lead 10-5 in the 28th minute, and that’s how the score stayed until the break.

Second Half – Malaysia vs Singapore

In the second half, Malaysia had a long period of ball possession, hammering away at the Singapore line with Ismail Maslin a constant ball carrier. After successive penalties by Singapore in defence, she scored her second try from a pick and go to level the score for a second time after 49 minutes.

Photo Credit – Malaysia Rugby Union

It was the Singaporeans’ turn to again control proceedings, but Malaysia disrupted well several times despite much of the next 20 minutes being played in their own half, but the scramble defence let them kick clear to relieve pressure. Singapore also dealt quite poorly with the aerial balls, knocking on several times.

Malaysia’s scrumhalf Nurfateha Syahmi Binti Sanusi was good at increasing the tempo, and Malaysia scored through right wing #24 Nur Alyia Nabila Samsub Ahari in the corner to take the lead for the first time in the 73rd minute, 15-10.

Singapore had an attacking lineout in the rain and the final minutes from 15 meters away from the Malaysian try line. They went through several phases, and the ball was whipped to the right, allowing fly-half Syirin Hashim to score the equalising try after the hooter for a tied game 15-15 with none of the conversions successful.

Photo Credit – Malaysia Rugby Union

The live stream of the match can be seen here.

Try Scorers:

• Malaysia: Ismail Maslina (x2), Nur Alyia Nabila Samsub Ahari
• Singapore: Rachel Li Ting Tan, Felicia Zhong Cheng, Syirin Hashim

The next match takes place on Wedneday 11 February 2026, with Singapore taking on the Philippines.

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