For the second year in a row, Cambodia’s rugby talent was seen in full bloom at the Tanglin Rugby Club Cup Junior Tournament in Singapore at the weekend after Kampuchea Balopp-trained kids went down fighting to Centaur Archers in the U9 Cup showdown.

Based in Phnom Penh, Kampuchea Balopp is a youth development through sport organisation working with over 800 disadvantaged and disabled children.

The team this year was made up of eight boys and four girls, one more than last year, a reflection of how well female players have been responding to the program, accounting for nearly 60 per cent of the total participants.

The team was coached by KB staffers Reth Ra and Dy Porn.

The Cambodian squad won three of their games and pulled off a sensational 5-5 draw against Centaur Archers but fell short in the U9 Cup final against the same opposition.

One of Singapore’s biggest clubs, Tanglin once again sponsored the Cambodian team that also had the backing of Taramana, Pour un Sourire d’Enfant, Sok Sabay and Enfants d’Asie alongside KB.