SEA Games 2025: Podium finishes for men’s and women’s rugby sevens teams

The women's rugby sevens team in action during the 33rd SEA Games in Bangkok. Photo: SportSG/Bryan Foo

Singapore’s rugby sevens players concluded their SEA Games campaign on Dec 14 with a men’s team silver and a women’s team bronze – the sport’s first medals since the 2017 edition. 

The men’s team held up well against powerhouses Thailand in the final, limiting the home favourites to just two tries at the Royal Thai Air Force Stadium Dhupatemiya before conceding 5-10. 

The Singapore men's rugby sevens team reached the finals at the 33rd SEA Games in Bangkok. Photo: SportSG/ Bryan Foo

For Marah Ishraf, who was part of the silver-winning team at the 2017 Games in Kuala Lumpur, much has changed but his pride at representing Singapore has never wavered. 

“I’m a father now, so my why is very different compared to 10 years ago when I played in my first SEA Games,” said the 31-year-old, whose wife and 20-month-old daughter were present in the stands. 

“Our aim was to reach the final, and we achieved our goal. We came short (by) five points, but I wouldn’t go through this journey with anyone else but the 13 boys beside me. I’m always grateful to represent the flag on my left chest. Not many Singaporeans get the opportunity to do that, so I’m really thankful.

Marah, who also has a bronze from the 2015 SEA Games, added: “Each medal that I’ve achieved thus far representing Singapore is really meaningful and special. I can’t pick out one single medal that is more memorable than the other but I truly enjoyed this one because it’s a bit different. I’m just really happy to represent my family here.”

The women’s team bounced back from group stage losses to Malaysia and the Philippines to trounce the latter 33-5 in the bronze medal match. 

The women's team recovered well from a group-stage loss to the Philippines, defeating the same opponents to take the bronze. Photo: SportSG/ Bryan Foo

Captain Victoria Chew revealed that the players adopted ‘You’ve Got Something I Need’ by One Republic as their team song, singing it between games to stay focused and in the moment. 

The 26-year-old, who once compared her team’s resilience to the hard-to-kill nature of cockroaches, maintained that this comparison still holds. 

She explained: “The whole theme about the cockroach is that we never say die. Even out there with the setbacks we faced in the previous matches, we just kept fighting and fighting and fighting, and showed what the true spirit of our team is. We’re not the biggest team out there, but we always bring the fight.” 

The 33rd SEA Games are held in Thailand from 9 to 20 December 2025. For the latest Team Singapore coverage and news, follow Team Singapore on their social media channels (Facebook, Instagram, TikTok) or visit the official Team Singapore website.