SANDAKAN: A total of 64 teams participated in the National-level Sabah Rugby 7s Carnival (KARA7S) 2025 held from Oct 17 to 19, here.
Now in its fourth edition, the carnival serves as a platform to discover new talents, particularly at the grassroots level, with the aim of developing young players to compete in the District Schools Sports Council (MSSD) and Schools Sports Council (MSS) tournaments.
Co-chairman of the carnival, Ghouse Raqib Ibrahim, said the event was an initiative to shorten the MSSD talent selection process and provide teams with a platform to compete at the national level.
“This carnival serves as a stage for teams to identify potential players for MSSD and subsequently MSS,” he said.
Organised by the Sandakan District Education Office in collaboration with the Eagles Rugby Club, the event attracted participation from teams across Sabah as well as from outside the State, including Asis RC (Kuala Lumpur), Muhibbah RC, N2 Hornets (Putrajaya) and Scarlet Angels (Selangor).
KARA7S was officiated by Eagles Rugby Club President and Sabah Rugby Union President, Vela Tan.
Ghouse said the carnival saw an increase in participation compared to the third edition, which featured 54 teams.
“This increase shows positive growth in interest towards rugby among young players.
“Hence, I hope KARA7S can continue to be held annually and help raise awareness among parents that rugby is not a violent or dangerous sport,” he said.
With smooth organisation and strong participation, the National-level KARA7S 2025 not only served as a competition but also as a platform to shape public perception of rugby as a competitive and promising sport capable of producing national-level players.
He also expressed hope for KARA7S to be developed as a sports tourism product in Sabah, particularly in Sandakan, to attract rugby enthusiasts to the district.
“While taking part in the competition, participants can also explore and enjoy interesting attractions around Sandakan.
“This indirectly helps promote local attractions and food while boosting the local economy,” he added.
