Rugby in Malaysia is very much older than most people realise. Earlier records shows that the game was being played with great enthusiasm by our predecessors more than a century ago and the rugby match which until recently was one of the most important items in the domestic rugby programme had its beginnings in the 1890's. In those days however there was not much scope for players outside Singapore. The inter club match between the Singapore Cricket Club and the Selangor Club was first played in 1902. But rugby had not begun in Perak and the only match was an annual "Scotland Vs Rest of The World" in Penang which was played in each November in the memory of St. Andrew.
Progress was slow up to the days of the 1st World War but the game in Malaya received a tremendous fillip from the visit of the battleship "HMS Malaya" and the presentation of the "HMS Malaya Cup". This trophy which was meant so much for the game in this country was presented by Captain H. T. butler and the officers of the battleship in 1921 on the occasion of the vessel's first visit to the land whose money built her during the war in 1914 - 1918. During their stay, the ship's officers and crews engaged in a carnival programme of sport all over the country and it was rugby that they proved keenest and most proficient. They played five games during their stay. They were beaten by Selangor 05 - 03 and Ipoh District 03 - 00 but they beat Singapore 11 - 00, Malacca 20 - 04 and Negeri Sembilan 05 - 03. So the honours were with the visitors. After the ship departed, the officers sent to the Chief Secretary, FMS, and the two trophies which are known as the "Malaya Cup". One for rugby and the other for football. They were given perpetuity for annual competitions.
It was decided by a committee formed among the states that the competition should be organised on inter-states lines in two sessions. The northern and southern states playing against each other on the knock-out principle and the champions of each section contesting for the final.
In the northern section, there were four competition sides - Selangor, Perak and Kedah. The southern section comprises Negeri Sembilan, Melaka, Singapore and Johor (who entered in 1923). In the early years, the Services (Army, Navy and Air Force) were very small units then combined with Singapore until 1927. In that year they entered as the Combined Services and immediately become a power in the southern section.
In the 1932 - 1933 seasons, Negeri Sembilan and Melaka who were finding it difficult in slum times to raise individual fifteens were granted permission to combine and have played as a single unit since. Forerunner of the Malayan Rugby Union was the abovementioned joint committee of the states which administered the Cup competition formed in 1921. When the Union came into being the committee continued to function side by side with it for a number of years, but eventually in 1935 the control of the HMS Malaya Cup competition passed into the hands of the Union. In the same year the United Services split up into two separate units - the Army forming one and the navy and Air Force combining to form the other.
Dr. H. W. Jack, Rev. R. D. Whitehorn of Selangor and Dr. E. D. Lindow of Singapore were the three men whose enthusiasm and desire to see the game make greater progress in this country. Dr. Jack, one of the finest players who ever appeared on a Malayan rugby ground and one of the selected few who achieved international honours at home (Ireland) was the first Honorary Secretary and Treasurer and fulfilled those duties for six years. Mr. J. M. Bell of Selangor was the first President.
The Union's guiding purpose always has been to control and encourage rugby in Malaysia and it has fulfilled that objective to good effect, if not spectacularly. The years that have passed since it was formed in 1927 have been marked by increasing popularity of the game throughout Malaysia and growing keenness among players.
Prior to the 2nd World War, the MRU was concerned mainly with European players for the appeal of soccer and hockey amongst young Asians steadily growing in sports consciousness was far greater for few players were selected for state teams.
The initial stimulus in popularising the game amongst Asians came from Negeri Sembilan where in 1925 the Negeri Sembilan All Blues were founded by Lt. Commander (Retired) Lander R. N., who became planter in 1922. The "All Blues Cup" presented by the Negeri Sembilan All Blues and subscribed to by supporters in the state was first competed for in 1934. The aims being to encourage inter state rugby among the Asians players. The competition was controlled by the All Blues RFC and was run similarly to the HMS Malaya Cup. Singapore and Perak shared the honours until 1939. Singapore wining four times and Perak twice but in 1940, Penang beat Singapore by 21 - 00 in Kuala Lumpur.
In 1941, there were 08t members of the Malayan Rugby Union that is clubs entitled to vote at general meetings of the Union and which had a voice in the control of its affairs and 19 affiliated clubs which entitled to representation. The member clubs comprised the State and Settlement organisations and the Services units and each was allowed to nominate a Vice President. The member clubs were:
The affiliated clubs were in the main Asian clubs which under the constitution and rules of the Union had to become affiliated to the Union if they wished to arrange fixtures with clubs in membership as follows:
The dominating influence exerted by Perak in the north a few years before the war is reflected in the table of Cup final results. For seven seasons from 1926 to 1932, they were the northern finalists every year. Association with this domination was the brilliant half-back combination of Nicholson and Hill, a team studded with high class exponents of the game. Subsequently, Selangor had a period of ascendancy with the exception in 1934 and 1939 when Penang reached the final. In the southern section, Singapore predominates till 1934 but then the Army becomes supreme appearing in every final. Until 1941, Singapore however won the trophy for five times, more than any other finalist. Perak had four victories to their credit and the Army four times though two times while playing as United Services.
Apart from the HMS Malaya Cup matches culminating in the final, the other classic was the annual North Vs South. The match was inaugurated in the 1927 - 1928 seasons, the year which Malayan Rugby Union was formed. The first match was played in Kuala Lumpur and it was intended to hold it in each of the four principal centers in successive years. Thus the second match was in Singapore, the third in Ipoh and the fourth in Penang. However it was decided in 1932 that the North Vs South match should be played regularly in Singapore and Kuala Lumpur should have the HMS Malaya Cup final. The series was evenly contested up to the outbreak of the Japanese invasion, each side wins seven times.
The only other inter state competition regularly played pre-war was the "Farleigh Robertson Trophy" presented by Dr. Farleigh Robertson, a prominent sportsman in Negeri Sembilan to encourage close friendly rivalry on the rugby field between Negeri Sembilan and Perak. It was held nine times in Perak till 1940 and the record of its movement corresponds pretty accurately with the rise and fall of rugby in Perak.
Although not strictly relevant to the history of MRU, perhaps it's worth noting that one of the early "International" match in the history east of Suez was November 14, 1931 in Singapore when British Army beat the French Army by 06 - 00. The British Army side is largely comprised of Gloucester Regiment players.
On Saturday, January 25, 1941, the last of the pre-war North Vs South games was played on the Selangor Club Padang, Kuala Lumpur. Towards the end of the year the Japanese Army invaded Malaya and rang down the curtain on the activities of all sports in Malaya.
Prompt replies came from J. F. Twitchin in Johor, Paul Starr in Singapore, J. E. A. Clark in Penang and H. M. Van de Gucht also from Johor, other enthusiasts was contacted later. A meeting was held in Kuala Lumpur on October 19, 1946 at which the Malayan RU was officially revived and a President and Committee elected.
The first post-war Annual General Meeting of the Malayan Rugby Union was held in January 11, 1947 in the Selangor Club and such was the enthusiasm and drive of those in charge that Vice President for Penang, Perak, Selangor, Negeri Sembilan, Johor, Singapore and the three Services were elected.
The succeeding years tell a story of continued growth and expansion despite the Emergency and numerous other lesser drawbacks. The HMS Malaya Cup games were reviewed in the 1947 - 1948 season and it is of interest to see that the MRU took an increasing interest in the development of rugby amongst Asians by arranging the All Blues final in Kuala Lumpur for the first time in 1948. Towards the end of 1948, doubts were being expressed as to whether the Emergency might not preclude inter-state rugby games. The committee adopted a "wait and see" attitude officially but was resigned to seeing the HMS Malaya Cup competition cancelled and it was.
At the AGM in 1949, a proposal to hold a school North Vs South game was put forward in view of the increasing number of schools now playing rugby. One of the features of the game in post-war Malaya has been the number of schools playing rugby and the increasingly high standard of rugby being played.
The setting up of Schools Sports Council by the government also did a tremendous amount to promote rugby in schools. Particularly through the inter state combined schools competition and through the North Vs South game has never materialised this inter-state competition has especially in the past few seasons produced some exciting rugby. Perak and Johor in particular have turned out good schoolboys sides.
By 1950, the Union was on a firm footing once again even though funds were a trifle low and it arranged four fixtures every season these being:
In that year a tie was designed for award to players in representative matches and to certain officials. Players taking part in either the Civilians Vs Services or North Vs South games were eligible for the award of MRU ties and those in the North Vs South game were entitled to wear a blazer badge. In 1950, Kedah rejoined the MRU and since then has participated in every HMS Malaya Cup competition with other states.
By 1953, rugby was flourishing. The Emergency was by no means over but the corner had been turned and apart from the absence of certain players for a few matches it did not materially affect the conduct of the game. An increasing number of Asians were playing in states sides and the All Blues were again running themselves with a certain amount of help from the State Union and MRU. Schools were taking up the game in increasing numbers.
The arrival of 1st Battalion Fijian Regiment in Malaya brought a new style of rugby onto the scene. Their players were all superbly fit and played hard, robust, rugby football. During the three years they spent in Malaya they never lost a game and did much to encourage a fast open style of play. For most of the time they were stationed in Johor and the inclusion of seven of their players in the State side turned Johor into a formidable team which for three years running won the HMS Malaya Cup. First "hat trick" in the history of competition. Malayan rugby owes the Fijians a great debt, they were splendid sportsman.
By 1954, active consideration was being given to playing an international against Thailand. Expenses were the main drawback. However in November 1955, it was decided to send a team to play three matches in Bangkok and this was duly done. The tour was a great success from the rugby point of view but resulted in a financial loss. It was agreed from that Thailand should be invited to tour Malaya in return and this arrangement has continued on a bi-annual basis ever since. The matches have in the main been good ones and the inclusion of several Malayans on the tour parties going to Thailand has been a notable feature. These players having earned their places on merit. The final match on each tour is always All Malaya Vs All Thailand for the Vajiralongkorn Cup presented by His Majesty the King of Thailand for competition between the two countries.
One further "international" in the history of the Malayan Rugby Union took place in 1959 when the Combined Oxford and Cambridge Universities XV played a Malayan XV in Kuala Lumpur. The visitors fielded six international players and four international trial lists in their side and it was hardly surprising therefore that the Malayan XV were soundly beaten without however being disgraced.
In 1958, it was decided to replace the HMS Malaya Cup. The original of which had vanished from the Long Bar of the Selangor Club during the Occupation with another cup which would be bought from money contributed by rugby players and supporters. In August 1959, the President of MRU, Mr. Ung Khek Chow, the first Malayan to be elected was able to report to the AGM that this had been done. Inevitably, it would seem that the original Cup was found not long afterwards lying in a drain at 4 ½ miles Jalan Ampang, Kuala Lumpur. The plinth and top were missing but the Cup itself was undamaged. A new plinth was donated by HMS Terror on behalf of the original donors and the Cup was immediately restored to its rightful position as the premier trophy. The replacement Cup being "retired".
In a thrilling HMS Malaya Cup final at the Merdeka Stadium, Kuala Lumpur, Perak just beat Singapore Services to become the first post-war holders of this original HMS Malaya Cup and it is significant of the vastly improved standards of Asian rugby that Perak team included six Asian players. The standards of the better Asian player were now on a par with those of the better Europeans. Practically every State included Asians in its State XV.
When the worst of the Emergency was over, a regrouping of Services units took place and resulted in some State having strong service side and others virtually none. On a proposal by Dr. A. Loudon Dunlop, President of the MRU in the 1958 - 59 season, two new Unions known as Commonwealth Forces North and Commonwealth Forces South were formed to play in each zone of the competition and this has been the practice ever since through for the last two seasons Commonwealth Forces North have been almost entirely RAAF players from Butterworth and Commonwealth Forces South (renamed Army Malaya at their own request) draw their players from Terendak Garrison.
Throughout this entire period, the three Services in Singapore also known as Singapore Combined Services and currently as Singapore Joint Services have fielded their own team in the HMS Malaya Cup competition. This team is drawn from all three Services and the chairman of the Joint Services Union is appointed in rotation between the three Services. It is a system which works extremely well and Singapore Joint Services have always been a strong side.
The MRU now had an extra trophy and obvious competition organised by the Singapore Cricket Club has since spread up in the country. Many State Unions now runs their own seven-a-side competitions as either a curtain raiser or a finale to a season.
At the Malayan Rugby Union AGM in 1963, it was decided to scrap the Services Vs Civilians game which had outlived its usefulness and substitutes a seven-a-side inter-state tournament to be held at a different venue each year. Perak were given the task of organising the first competition and a Perak side beat an Army (Malaya) side to become the first holder of the trophy.
It is now necessary to cast back a few years and consider the changes that had taken place in the organisation of Services rugby in Malaysia. At the height of the Emergency, British Services units were stationed throughout Malaysia and where possible, participated in the State rugby activities. All State Unions had at least one Services player representative on their committee and Services players were eligible for selection to play. Varied from unit to unit and it was found in practice that some regiments with a tradition of rugby playing were liable to take over most of the positions in a State XV to detriment of the interests of the civilian players unless something was done about it. This lead to ruling by the MRU that no more than seven Services players could be chosen for any State XV except of course Singapore Services. The Wisdom of this ruling was amply demonstrated when Fijians were stationed in Johor.
Asian rugby reached a cross-road in the 1963 - 1964 seasons. The All Blues Cup had been donated to encourage inter-state rugby and improve the standards of the Asian players. By 1960, it was evident that this objective had been attained since Asians were playing in many State sides and were also appearing in All Malaya sides regularly. Maurice Pestana from Penang was awarded the MBE for his services to rugby, Lee Kooi Meng from Perak and Ungku Ibrahim from Johor, to mention only three had all played for the National Team.
Rugby was flourishing in the schools but few of these school boys continued to play the game after they left. It was felt that a youth competition, organised on an inter-state basis might attract these school leavers and encourage them to continue playing. Accordingly, Under 23 inter-state competition was inaugurated by MRU with intention that it supersedes the All Blues competition as and when desired.
The first final was played in Kuala Lumpur in January 1964 when Johor deservedly beat Perak to become the first holder of the Under 23 shield. It seems, at the time of writing as if this competition has attracted the interest of the younger players. Thus rugby in Malaysia today is played in the west coast but not alas in Pahang, Terengganu or Kelantan though there are keen group in Kota Bharu. Distance and finance is the big obstacle in these states coupled with the fact that not all schools play rugby as yet. Rugby is spreading in the schools and Malays in particular take to it very well as evidence by the fact that Johor and Perak have consistently headed the inter-schools championship both including large number of Malays in their sides.
On the HMS Malaya Cup, Europeans players still make up the bulk of the most states side but are being keenly challenged by many young Malaysians whose standards are improving from time to time. There seems very hope therefore that in future years the popularity of rugby will continue to spread and the standard continue to improve so that eventually Malaysian teams will be able to welcome oversea teams to these shores and also possibly make tours of their own. Playing good class rugby but enjoying the sporting and social activities traditionally associated with rugby.