Buildup for Touch Football WC on

MANILA, Philippines - Inspired by its recent success in the Oakwood Rugby 10s ladies tournament in Bangkok, Thailand, the Pilipinas national development team kicked off tryouts last weekend as part of its build-up for next year’s Touch Football World Cup in Sydney, Australia.

“Winning the Oakwood championship is a big breakthrough and encouragement for us to begin preparations in earnest for next year’s World Cup,” said team member Arabelle Jimenez in yesterday’s PSA Forum at Shakey’s Malate.

Competing in Group A, the Filipinas chalked up four wins and a draw, capped by a 7-3 triumph in the championship match over the bigger and taller Emirate Firebirds of Dubai in the eight-nation competition at the Bangkok Patana School last Feb. 22-23.

They surpassed the accomplishment of the Nomads Bullettes, who were runners-up in the event last year.

“We used our speed and agility to beat our bigger opponents,” said teammate Joan Javier.

Jimenez and Javier credited foreign coaches Steve Dodd and Craig Wislang of International School Manila “for giving us valuable pointers and allowing us to train at their field.”

Javier said since touch rugby, which was introduced in the country 10 years ago, is a relatively new sport “we will not have to undergo qualifying events to see action in the Touch Rugby World Cup.”

But both players stressed they want to send a competitive squad to the event scheduled May 2014 in Australia “which is why we already have begun our national team preparations.”

They said coaches Dodd and Wislang will draw up a pool of 20 players to go through intensive training and whose first international stint will be the Asian Touch Rugby club championships slated May 4 to 7 in Singapore.