RI shatter ACS(I)’s decade-long dominance to claim long-awaited A Division rugby crown
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Raffles Institution’s rugby team jumping in jubilation after their 21-7 win over Anglo-Chinese School (Independent) in the NSG A Division final at Jurong West Stadium on April 28.
ST PHOTO: SHINTARO TAY
Sienna Yang
- Raffles Institution ended Anglo-Chinese School (Independent)'s decade of rugby dominance, securing a historic 21–7 victory in the National School Games A Division final.
- RI's win stemmed from years of collective effort, strong alumni support and a "weatherproof game plan", while ACS(I) were hampered by injuries.
- RI players celebrated their first trophy since 2010 with jubilation, while their opponents were stunned and tearful.
AI generated
SINGAPORE – It was a project 16 years in the making and on April 28, Raffles Institution finally achieved their long-time ambition of winning a second National School Games (NSG) A Division rugby crown after their maiden title in 2010.
On the muddied turf of Jurong West Stadium, the spirited RI boys made history and in the process ended the 10-year winning streak of holders Anglo-Chinese School (Independent) with a hard-fought 21-7 victory in the final.
RI rugby master Tan Mian Ou, who has been coaching the school team since 2013, said: “It’s been a really long journey. I honestly have no words for it, because it feels surreal...
“We have never beaten ACS(I) in a group stage for the last 15 years but the 19-12 (victory over their rivals in the preliminaries) gave the team belief that it could be done.”
Raffles Institution’s rugby players running onto the field to celebrate their historic win against Anglo-Chinese School (Independent).
ST PHOTO: SHINTARO TAY
For the school, the victory was a collective effort years in the making.
With the backing of the Raffles Rugby Union, an alumni society founded in 2010 to preserve RI’s rugby legacy, support has included funding for overseas tours, additional player insurance coverage, and training kit and competition gear, besides specialised training like strength conditioning and mental skills.
Tan added that coaches from the alumni were also attending almost every training session over the past three years, with different specialists focusing on areas such as the forwards and backs.
“It’s not just financial support, but boots on the ground,” said the 44-year-old.
Raffles Institution’s rugby players tackling Anglo-Chinese School (Independent) players.
ST PHOTO: SHINTARO TAY
Captain Daniel Park, 17, who won his first NSG rugby medal alongside many of his RI teammates, said the meaningful victory was a result of years of effort, adding: “It’s amazing and we’re very proud to be the team that managed to end ACS(I)’s streak and start a new one.
“We’ve trained so hard and so long for this. We’ve had five-day training weeks, endless sprint sessions. We’ve spoken about this for such a long time, since we narrowly missed out on the final last year.”
Also making a mark was JC2 student Luke Ang – it was his second NSG medal of the season – after taking bronze in the A Division boys’ 100m backstroke swimming event on April 23, despite having trained only three days prior.
A dual-sport athlete who had picked up rugby in July 2025 after playing the sport in primary school, the 17-year-old attributed the switch to feeling burnt out from competitive swimming after 12 years.
“The (rugby) coaches and my teammates believed in me, giving me game time,” said Luke. “They taught me everything I knew… I didn’t want to disappoint them, so I felt I had to pull my fair share.”
For ACS(I), the defeat proved a bitter pill to swallow, as it brought an end to a legacy stretching back to 2014.
Coach Adrian Chong said the team were hampered by injuries, with two key players returning in time only for the final.
“It is quite clear that we are the underdogs this year. I mean, we lost to them (in the preliminaries)… We didn’t get a full squad of players until the final,” he said.
ACS(I) captain Jaryl Lee added: “It’s tough. Ego aside, there’s a lot of history behind this division – we were 10-time champions. So being the one that causes a decade streak to end, it’s just not the best feeling... Especially since it’s our last school year and we can’t show what we have been able to do the past few years.”
An Anglo-Chinese School (Independent) rugby player being consoled by a Raffles Institution player after the NSG A Division final at Jurong West Stadium on April 28, 2026.
ST PHOTO: SHINTARO TAY
In sweltering 32 deg C heat, RI struck first within 14 minutes, with Jamus Cheng scoring the opening try and Christian Hunter adding the conversion. ACS(I) responded with Parone Avasadanond crossing the line and Jaryl converting to level the score at 7-7.
But RI quickly regained the initiative, as Christian slotted a penalty and Chaw Sheng went over for a try to send them into half-time 15-7 ahead.
As the players began to slip and slide on the pitch made treacherous by the downpour during the final 30 minutes, with play frequently halted to deal with cramp, it was RI’s defence which proved decisive. Christian then added two more penalties in the final 20 minutes to seal a commanding win.
The erratic weather was not a factor for RI, with Tan pointing to their “weatherproof game plan”, which they carried out after training under different conditions ahead of the tournament.
He said: “Most teams are possession-based. In order to score, you need to have the ball. We found a way to get our boys to understand and execute a plan where we were more comfortable without the ball, so they’re not afraid to be defending.”
