Phl Volcanoes open A5N campaign vs HK side

MANILA, Philippines - The Philippine Volcanoes national men’s rugby team kicks off its 2014 season today as it faces Hong Kong in the Asian 5 Nations (A5N) tournament at the Hong Kong Football Club in Happy Valley, Hong Kong.

The A5N features the top five countries in the region slugging it out for berth in next year’s Rugby World Cup. The Volcanoes are currently ranked fourth in Asia at Men’s 15s.

“There are many new faces in the team this year,” said Volcanoes captain Oliver Abalos Saunders. “But despite this, our training sessions have been going well and the newcomers have easily adapted to the team’s culture. We’re excited for the challenges ahead.”

With coach Jarred Hodges at the helm, the Volcanoes have prepared hard for the grueling Asian 5 Nations tournament which will be played over six weeks in a series of home and away games till May.

It will be another busy year for the Volcanoes, whose members are composed mainly of Filipino heritage players who live and play in countries where the sport is popular, such as Japan, Australia and England. After the A5N tournament, the Volcanoes will vie in the Rugby Sevens (the faster version of the game which plays seven players per side) and the 2014 Asian Games in Incheon, South Korea.

The Philippine Sports Commission, which funds the Volcanoes’ training camps and the Philippine Rugby Football Union (PRFU) Rugby Development programs in different parts of the country, has identified Rugby Sevens as a potential medal winner at the Asian Games.

“In 2013, the Volcanoes were among only three Asian countries that qualified for the Rugby Sevens World Cup in Moscow. If they can maintain the form that won them a place at this elite level, then they will definitely vie for a medal at the Asian Games,” said Matt Cullen, PRFU’s director of rugby.

The top two teams at the Asian Games automatically qualify for the 2016 Olympic Games in Brazil which marks the debut of Rugby Sevens as an official Olympic sport.

The PRFU also happily reports that after being left off the roster for the past three SEA Games in 2009, 2011 and 2013, Rugby Sevens is finally set to return as an official sport at the 2015 South East Asian Games in Singapore. The Philippines is currently the top-ranked Rugby Sevens team in South East Asia and has won a Silver Medal at the 2007 SEA Games.

This is the start to another very exciting and potentially successful period of Rugby for the Volcanoes who are focused on not only competing at the elite level internationally, but developing the sport of Rugby locally.