{
  "id": 2801064,
  "title": "Coach Azizul hails Kedah composure after historic Sukma rugby victory",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/23/coach-azizul-hails-kedah-composure-after-historic-sukma-rugby-victory",
  "topic": "culture",
  "section": "Culture",
  "published": "2026-08-23T14:17:54.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "New Straits Times",
    "slug": "new-straits-times",
    "url": "https://www.nst.com.my/sports/others/2026/08/1517310/coach-azizul-hails-kedah-composure-after-historic-sukma-rugby-victory"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Kedah rugby team celebrated a historic victory after clinching the men's Sukma rugby sevens gold medal at the Malaysia Games, ending a 20-year drought. Head coach Azizul Aziz expressed gratitude for his team's composure and discipline throughout the tournament, praising their tactical execution in the knockout stages. Azizul noted that Perak, their opponents, were a formidable team, and his team focused on defending against their attacks while exploiting weaknesses in their defense. Kedah led 7-7 at halftime before extending their lead to 14-7 after the restart, ultimately holding firm to secure the title. It marked Kedah's first final appearance since 2006 when they lost to Selangor. Azizul acknowledged the challenging path to the title, particularly after a tough start with a defeat to Perlis. Despite this, the team rebounded to become group champions and ultimately advanced to the final after defeating Johor in the semi-finals. Johor claimed bronze by defeating Federal Territories 10-0. In the women's competition, Selangor's Rozliana Ridwan highlighted her team's dominance, scoring a 41-0 victory over Sarawak. She expressed gratitude for the team's progress and their achievement of the gold medal, hoping to continue giving their best and developing women's rugby for a promising future. Sabah secured the women's bronze medal after defeating Terengganu 19-5.",
  "summary": "KLANG: Kedah ended a 20-year wait for the Malaysia Games (Sukma) men’s rugby sevens gold medal after defeating Perak 14-12 in the final today.",
  "key_points": [
    "Kedah rugby team wins first Sukma gold medal in 20 years",
    "Head coach Azizul praises team's composure and tactical execution",
    "Perak was a strong opponent, Kedah defeated Johor in semi-finals"
  ],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}