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Rugby in the Philippines

Headroom

By Headroom
in Soccer

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U.P. AdMU2008
U.P. AdMU2008

Thanks to these companies then. Hope they'll support our team further.

BrightestStar
BrightestStar

I agree with that. Besides Rugby balls are not available in the provinces hehehe

U.P. AdMU2008
U.P. AdMU2008

As a sports that combines more movements like running and jumping and screening, it can easily be taught to the Filipinos. Besides, for practices, it can be done only in some areas smaller than a socc

Headroom Newbie

Headroom

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Finally: recognition from the Philippine Sports Commission.

 

 

 

PSC counting on Volcanoes to deliver rare Asian Games medal

 

By Karlo Sacamos June 20, 2013, 05:35 pm

 

THE Philippine Sports Commission believes rugby is among the team sports that can land the country a podium finish in next year’s Asian Games in South Korea.

 

The PSC is so confident that the country’s sports policy-making, coordinating, and funding body has been allotting a bigger budget for the Volcanoes than some of the team sports ahead of the quadrennial continental showpiece competition in September 2014.

 

“We are investing in rugby, (because) when you look at team sports, rugby is a sport where we are at least sure of a medal,” PSC commissioner Jolly Gomez said on Wednesday when he graced the press launch of the Volcanoes’ Rugby World Cup Sevens campaign in Russia next week.

 

Rugby sevens is played in the Asian Games and the Philippines didn’t field a squad in the 2010 edition, where Japan and Hong Kong finished with a gold and silver medal. South Korea, the bronze medalist, is a squad the Volcanoes have beaten last year in the qualifiers for the World Cup Sevens.

 

Gomez said the PSC has an annual budget of P7 million for rugby.

 

“It is actually more than what we give softball and baseball. It’s even more than we give SBP (Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas) for basketball," said Gomez. “That’s how much the PSC knows there’s a lot of potential in rugby."

 

Volcanoes coach Al Caravelli, however, said funds from current sponsors are still not enough for the team to get the desired international exposure. On average, the Volcanoes play in only four tournaments a year whereas Samoa plays a minimum of 12, according to Caravelli.

 

Samoa, ranked fourth in the world in sevens, is among the Volcanoes’ opponents in the World Cup Sevens group stage that kicks off on June 28 in Moscow.

 

“We need more resources so that we could play in more tournaments. Samoa plays a minimum of 12 tournaments a year,” Caravelli said. “Their (Samoa’s) player with the least amount of sevens caps has more than all of our guys’ put together.”

 

Now the third-ranked sevens squad in Asia, the Volcanoes are out to prove their worth in the World Cup, which features the 24 best teams in the world. Aside from Samoa, the Filipinos will have to contend with Kenya and Zimbabwe in Pool C.

 

Gomez is hoping the development of the Volcanoes would be similar to that of the national football team. He revealed that the head of a top international sneaker brand told him that sales of football shoes “increased by 7,000 times” in the country, thanks largely to the Azkals phenomenon.

 

“That’s phenomenal. It’s never happened before,” the commissioner said, adding that most of the shoes that are getting out of stock are children’s shoes.

 

“There are many people now playing because of the success of the Azkals. And I know with the success of the Volcanoes, there are going to be more kids that will start playing rugby.”

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Headroom Newbie

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This is on the Rugby World Cup 7's website:

 

http://www.rwcsevens.com/men/news/newsid=2067628.html#al+caravelli+batting+pinoys

 

Al Caravelli: Batting for the Pinoys

 

(IRB.COM) Wednesday 26 June 2013

 

Former USA Sevens coach Al Caravelli is currently in charge of the Philippines and, having helped them qualify for a first ever World Cup, he is looking forward to seeing his players compete on the highest stage in Moscow. Here he writes exclusively for rwcsevens.com.

These Philippines players really are history boys - they make up the first team ever to represent their country in a World Cup event, and that is a wonderful achievement for them.

Just before we left to come to Moscow, the team received an award for the 'national sports team of the year'. We haven't even competed yet, but already we have a sense of how much it means to the nation as a whole..

 

It's an opportunity, not only on the pitch but away from it. The players and administrators at the union have been working with schools and orphanages to introduce Sevens and it’s amazing to see the enjoyment that it brings, but also how quickly the children pick up the sport. A lot of that is down to the similarities with basketball - the Philippines loves it’s basketball - but also Sevens is easier to grasp than 15s.

 

Our final preparations for the World Cup began when the squad got together on 2 June with 24 players. We reduced that number to 14 on the 13 June and our final 12 was announced six days later. The players have not been to any World Series events, with the exception of Hong Kong in 2012, so they are really relishing the challenge in front of them.

Not only are these players not full-time rugby players, they've also had to pay their own way to attend our selection and preparation camps, which just goes to underline their commitment.

Playing for every Pinoy

Once we're in Moscow and out there on the pitch, we want the Philippine nation and all Pinoys to be proud of our efforts regardless of the score line.

 

We play Samoa and Kenya in our pool, ranked fourth and fifth in the world, and Zimbabwe, one of the strongest in the next tier of nations. It's just about the toughest draw we could have got but the boys are extremely excited about getting the opportunity to test themselves against the world’s best.

That is what Rugby Sevens is all about, and that is what a World Cup is all about: giving a nation like us a chance to be on that stage, with nothing to lose and everything to gain. We believe we should be here.

We have never played Kenya, who are a quality team, very fit and strong as well as being well coached. Samoa finished fourth in the Series last year and Zimbabwe beat us in the last play of the game where we faced them in Hong Kong. So we are eyes wide open, focused on our performance and on improving each and every aspect of our game.

A life less ordinary

While we are still very new to international rugby, we are learning every day and improving constantly. What a team like the Philippines needs now is a second division to the World Series. The Asian Sevens Series is excellent - I believe every region should have such a series, as does Europe - but a true promotion / relegation format for the World Series would give a team like us even more competition, which can only be a good thing.

For me, I must say that my time with the Philippines so far has been a wonderful experience, both personally and professionally. Coaching the US on the World Series was a different kettle of fish and I have grown and learned a lot from the set-up at the PRFU, from the players and the staff.

 

I think the whole experience has re-invigorated me and inspired me to compete and to coach. We don’t have a lot of resources, so it’s been back to basics, to the fundamentals in all aspects on and off the field, which blend into the same thing after a while.

 

It's been a rollercoaster, and one you want to stay on for the ride!

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Headroom Newbie

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A link to the New Zealand "All Blacks" Website discussing a training run they did with the Philippine Volcanoes....

 

http://www.allblacks.com/index.cfm?layout=displaynews&newsArticle=22591

 

Moscow, minnows and Red Square

 

It was a day when David met Goliath and everyone ended up smiling. All Blacks Sevens v the Philippine Volcanoes; who would have thought, but in the shadow of the giant Luzhniki Olympic Stadium, the two teams poles apart in the world of sevens, had a rare training hit out.

 

The Volcanoes made history when they qualified for their first ever World Cup – and the first World Cup in any team event for the country going on for some 50 years they say.

 

What better preparation than taking on the All Blacks Sevens. A country with just 13 clubs, 1400 players.

 

"Awesome," said Mike Letts, Volcanoes captain.

 

"It’s like the Filipino basketball team coming up against the USA 'dream team'. The boys are very excited, I am sure status updates on facebook for the guys will be saying ‘dream come true’ sort of thing. They are the best side in the world at the moment and they are all humble blokes so that makes it that much sweeter."

 

Funny thing, in the team plenty of Australian, French and Welsh accents - all players have Filipino mothers and play professional rugby in Japan. Coached by former USA coach Ali Caravelli and good enough to impress Sir Gordon Tietjens.

 

"They had to qualify to make the RWC Sevens so they go in with a lot of confidence and I certainly saw a lot qualities the Filipinos had. The funny thing about this game is that on any given day, any team can beat any team and you take your opportunities.

 

"For us, it was a good hit out, playing one of the sides at Rugby World Cup. We showed some good touches today, but at the same time it doesn’t matter what level any team is they can still expose you in certain areas and they are our work ons.

 

"We have another game against Scotland on Wednesday and they can be very tough so we can iron a few things out and hopefully a good three sessions against them."

 

For young rising sevens star Gillies Kaka who made the IRB Sevens Dream Team this season, Moscow is pretty special.

 

"It’s an awesome honour and just humbled to get the opportunity to play in the World Cup so really looking forward to it and it’s a great chance to stamp for next year as well."

 

And a chance to see another side of the world – the All Blacks Sevens and New Zealand Women’s Sevens teams made it to Red Square for their team photos.

 

Captain DJ Forbes: "I don’t think many of the boys would think of playing here let alone enjoying the sights. Hopefully we can top it off with a big weekend.

 

"It’s part and parcel of the rugby we play so it’s great that we can make most of these opportunities."

 

And the women nailed their photo just in time before Moscow Police moved them on.

 

"It’s beautiful, the architecture is amazing,” said Linda Itunu. "I feel really privileged to be here."

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Headroom Newbie

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Get down to see Game 2 for the development team against Hing Kong. Southern Plains this Saturday July 27th at 3pm

 

Philippine Development Team Push Hong Kong

 

The Philippine National Development Team led by Jon Morales showed that local talent here in the Philippines can match it with their regional neighbors when they narrowly lost to Hong Kong 36 - 30.

 

In one of the best games of the year, both development teams played in wet conditions and displayed exceptional skills to run in ten tries in an arm wrestle that went down to the last minute.

 

The Philippines took a halftime lead into the game by 11 - 5 with Nomads flyer "Phil Sinclair" scoring a classic wingers try to open the game. Hong Kong then gave up two penalties that were converted by Rupert Zappia.

 

The second half saw the Hong Kong team step up the pace and the game hung in the balance when Tim Bweheni beat three defenders to take an 18 - 17 lead. Hong Kong then scored three unanswered tries to lead 30 - 18 and the game looked to be sewn up for Hong Kong.

 

Coach Matt Cullen then replaced several of the tiring Filipino players with fresh legs and a number of local players made their debut for the Philippines. The replacements played above themselves to claw back into the game and the Philippines scored two late tries to trail by 36 - 30. Replacement players Jay Coronel and Mark Bulacan both showed they can compete at the International Level and led the comeback with some fierce defense.

 

The final whistle blew and the Philippines were pushing Hong Kong to limit to defend their slight lead.

 

Game two in the International Development Series will take place at Southern Plains this Saturday July 27th at 3pm and the Philippine team will be eager to start where they left off in yesterday's game.

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