Taiwan pulled off a close win against Thailand in their Asia Rugby Championship Division 2 match at the MBPJ Stadium in Kuala Lumpur yesterday.
Taiwan led 12-9 at halftime through tries to No. 8 Wang Yu-hsiang and inside center Chang Lun-wei.
Thailand had hooker Chawiatt Klongtrujrok yellow carded just before halftime.
Taiwan scored two tries to three in the second half, with flanker Tsai Cheng-hsuan dotting down and Wang adding his second, but Thailand leveled the scores at 24-24 through a try to center Peerapol Chukoun and a conversion to fullback Warongkorn Khamkoet shortly after Taiwan halfback Liu Yao-tang had returned from a stint in the sin-bin.
However, Kuo Wen-ching crossed in the last minute of play to seize the five-point victory.
Taiwan face the United Arab Emirates (UAE) in their third and final game on Saturday.
In the late game, Malaysia beat the UAE 20-19 to remain undefeated in the four-team competition.
Malaysian paper the New Straits Times said the home side were forced to play catch-up for most of the match, but a Mohamad Syarif Sudin penalty in the 25th minute, as well as tries from Fiji-born Atunaisa Lacadamu and Aiman Jamaluddin sealed the win.
“We always knew it would be a 50-50 kind of match, but I think our boys were the more spirited and fitter of the two [teams],” Nyuk Fah said after the game, according to the Times.
Malaysia will win the tournament if they beat Thailand — who lost their first game against UAE — on Saturday.
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