Asian Development Seven’s Series: Pakistan suffer back-to-back defeats

Lose 17-7 to Lebanon and 33-0 to Thailand on day one.

KARACHI: Pakistan opened their Asian Development Rugby Seven’s Series campaign with two defeats at Amblers Rugby Club in Al Ain, UAE on Friday.

They played their first Pool B match against Lebanon but fell to a 17-7 loss. Karim Jammal, Anthony Manassa and Rohan Zebib scored for Lebanon on tries, while Tahir Rauf and captain Khalid Hussain Bhatti scored for Pakistan. Rauf scored five points on a try, while Bhatti managed to score two.

It went from bad to worse for Pakistan in the second match of the day  as Thailand thrashed them 33-0, with goals scored by Warongkorn Khamkoet, Wuttipong Sakulthianthong, Wuttikorn Kaewkhio.



This was Pakistan’s first international tournament of the year.

They are now bottom of Pool B, while Thailand top the group with six points and Lebanon are second with four points.

The winner of the Al-Ain Sevens will book their place in the Asia Rugby Sevens Series 2016. The series will have three legs, scheduled in September and October.

The tournament feature 12 teams including Chinese Taipei, India, Iran, Kazakhstan, Lebanon, Pakistan, Philippines, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Syria, Thailand and hosts UAE.

Chinese Taipei and UAE dominated the tournament’s first day, winning two matches each.

India registered one win against Qatar 38-7 but lost their second match to Chinese Taipei 28-0.

Published in The Express Tribune, February 27^th,  2016.

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