NAGOYA: A bruised and battered national squad will be gunning for a top-six finish when they compete in the final day of the men's rugby sevens competition at the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games on Saturday.
After defeats to Hong Kong and China on Thursday, Nik Safuan Ismade Nik Man's charges did well to defeat Uzbekistan 22-0 in their final pool A match on Friday and sneak into the quarter-finals as one of the two best third-placed teams at the Nagoya City Mizuho Park Rugby Field.
But awaiting them in the last eight was again Hong Kong. Malaysia lost 50-0 and will thus compete in the fifth-eighth place classification matches on Saturday.
Nik said he chose to rest his players against Hong Kong.
Three players who took heavy knocks on Thursday - Hafiezie Sudin, Wan Azley Wan Omar and captain Azwan Zuwairi Mat Zizi - were cleared to play on Friday but were only used sparingly.
