Johor Tigers finally erased the bitter memories of their past heartbreaks to reclaim the country’s most prestigious rugby silverware, defeating Terengganu 34-26 in a pulsating 42nd Agong Cup final at the UiTM Stadium on Sunday.

The spectacular victory ended a grueling nine-year title drought for the Southern powerhouse, who had previously lifted the coveted trophy in 2013 and 2017.

The win tasted exceptionally sweet for Johor, having suffered agonizing defeats in the previous two consecutive finals in 2024 and 2025.

As champions, Johor walked away with the RM20,000 grand prize, while Terengganu received RM15,000 for their valiant run.

The joy was twice as sweet for Johor as their star player, Aqasha Daniel Irwan, was named the tournament’s Best Player, bringing home an additional RM1,000 cash prize and a commemorative plaque.

The match, however, began as a nightmare for the eventual champions. Terengganu caught the Johor defense completely off guard with a ferocious offensive storm, crossing the whitewash three times to race into a commanding 19-0 lead within the opening 18 minutes.

Refusing to let the ghosts of finals past dictate their destiny, Johor Tigers showcased immense mental resilience.

They steadily clawed their way back into the contest before the interval, capitalizing on a series of tactical adjustments to bridge the deficit to 17-19 just before the referee blew for halftime.

The second half witnessed a complete tactical masterclass from Johor as the momentum swung entirely in their favor. Playing with renewed intensity, the Tigers’ backline went on a relentless rampage, executing 17 unanswered points through a clinical display of power and precision to turn the tables and lead 34-19.

Terengganu launched a desperate late onslaught in the dying minutes, crossing for two late tries, but the mountain was too high to climb as Johor held firm to protect their eight-point cushion until the final whistle.

Meanwhile, the third-place playoff produced an equally dramatic thriller earlier in the day at the same venue.

Kelantan managed to dethrone the defending champions, PDRM, with a razor-thin 43-41 victory.

Kelantan, who held a slender 24-22 lead at halftime, successfully absorbed PDRM’s second-half surge to secure a podium finish and the RM10,000 prize money.

The defeat brought an end to PDRM’s dominant three-year reign at the top of the Agong Cup since 2023, though they still took home RM5,000 for finishing fourth.