11 Jun 2024 • Kuala Lumpur • The News Straits Time

KUALA LUMPUR: The Malay College Kuala Kangsar (MCKK) Premier Sevens is set to return for its 12th edition this year between June 28 and 30, and the competition is expected to be as fierce as ever.

Three foreign schools – Guanyin High School (Taiwan), SMA Darunnajah (Indonesia) and Seiko Suzuka (Japan) – have confirmed their slots in the competition, which will be held at the MCKK school grounds.

They will lock horns with state championship-winning school teams and invitational teams from Malaysia for the N.J. Ryan Trophy and the Zaharuddin Alias Best Player Award in the under-17 tournament.

Leading the Malaysian challenge will be defending champions SMK Jalan Tiga, Maktab Sultan Abu Bakar Johor Bahru, Tunku Mahkota Ismail Sports School (TMISS) and host team MCKK.

Premier Sevens co-chairman Amrul Hazarin Hamidon said it is hard to predict which team will make the business end of the tournament.

“All the teams are very strong this year,” said Amrul at the Premier Sevens launch in Kuala Lumpur today.

“We know that all the Malaysian teams are well prepared for this competition and we expect them to raise their (performance) levels this year.

“Guanyin High School will also be competing here for the first time this year. We have not seen them play before, so they are currently a mystery.”

Perbadanan Nasional Bhd (Pernas) is the title sponsor of the Premier Sevens this year.

With the exception of 2021 and 2022, when Covid-19 restrictions were enforced, the competition has been held every year since 2011.

TMISS hold the record for the most Premier Seven titles having won it four times in 2011, 2012, 2016 and 2017.