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Post by stellarboy on Nov 18, 2012 18:58:18 GMT 8
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Post by stellarboy on Dec 2, 2012 6:27:27 GMT 8
Volcanoes gird for tough ’13 skedBy Joaquin Henson (The Philippine Star) | Updated November 30, 2012 - 12:00am MANILA, Philippines - The journey to the top begins next year for the Volcanoes as the Philippine national rugby team plunges into top-level action in the 15-a-side elite level of the Asian 5 Nations starting in April and the 7-a-side World Cup in Moscow on June 28-30. Philippine Rugby Football Union (PRFU) president Alvin San Diego said yesterday both competitions will test the progress of the Volcanoes in both formats. It took the Philippines four years to reach the elite level after topping the fourth, third, second and first divisions in annual succession. Now, the Volcanoes are in select company, joining Japan, Hong Kong, South Korea and the United Arab Emirates in the round-robin series set on five consecutive weekends in April and May. San Diego said the home-and-away Asian 5 Nations will schedule Manila matches for the Philippines against Hong Kong and the United Arab Emirates. The road matches will be against Japan and South Korea. Japan is unbeaten in five years of Asian 5 Nations competition with 16 straight wins. The last placer among the five contenders will be demoted to the first division. “Realistically, we’re hoping to finish third but that means beating two teams,” said San Diego. “We’re avoiding last place so we can stay in the elite level. I think we’ve got a shot at beating South Korea or the Emirates or both. The last time we played South Korea, we lost 34-20 and it was our only loss in 11 matches since 2008.” The 15-a-side game is played in two 40-minute halves while the 7-a-side version is played in two seven-minute halves. Teams usually play as many as three 7-a-side matches a day and the finals are extended to two 10-minute halves. The 7-a-side game will be reintroduced in the Olympic calendar in Rio de Janeiro in 2016. The Philippines qualified for the World Cup by beating South Korea, 22-19, for the last Asian ticket to the 24-nation competition in Singapore recently. There were 24 countries that battled for the three slots in the Asian 7s with Japan, Hong Kong and the Philippines advancing to Moscow. The Philippines beat China, 14-7, in the quarterfinals and bowed to Japan, 17-7, in the semifinals. The Volcanoes earlier blanked Guam, 33-0 and lost to Hong Kong, 29-12. In Moscow, the 24 qualified countries will be split into six groups of four. The first placers of each group move to the eight-team knockout quarterfinals with two others posting the next best records. Dean's Corner ( Article MRec ), pagematch: 1, sectionmatch: 1 “Both rugby 7s and 15s are played on the same field so you can imagine how quick you must be to play the 7s game,” said San Diego. “That’s why the 7s game is played only seven minutes a half. You’ve got to be super fit and super quick. Rugby isn’t about brute strength. It’s about technique and strategy. Teamwork is essential. That’s why I think rugby is a sport that builds character because it promotes discipline and teamwork.” While the Volcanoes are mostly Fil-foreigners, San Diego said the direction is to develop more homegrown players to build a strong national pool. PRFU commercial and operations director Matt Cullen is in charge of the developmental program and conducts clinics every Monday and Wednesday, 6-8 p.m., at the ULTRA and every Tuesday, 6-8 p.m., in Marikina. Among the full-blooded Filipinos playing high-level rugby are Cleo Gomez, Christian Desacola and Ron Peña, all based in Australia, and Kit Guerra. “At the moment, there are about 19 teams playing in the local leagues,” said San Diego. “We got a 15s league, an informal 10s league and a 7s league with three divisions. We hold three 10s leagues every year, one in Manila in March, another in Clark in September and the last in Cebu in November. Several schools are promoting rugby like the International School, Brent, Faith Academy, University of Makati, British School, Polytechnic University and UP. There is also a version of the game called touch rugby which is non-contact.” San Diego said the key is to develop a school system for rugby. “We’re hoping the schools can produce players to feed our clubs,” he said. “We’re fortunate that we’ve got several supporters of rugby like David Carman of the Alabang Eagles who play at the Silangan field, Paul Gittus of Nomads and Rick Hartley and Tony Shibley of the Bataan-based Maritime Academy. We plan to create a corporate and a university league to complement our club league. Down the road, we hope to tap the LGUs and bring rugby to the grassroots level. We’ve already received support from Gov. E. R. Ejercito of Laguna.” San Diego said the Lady Volcanoes are also making headway. They finished ninth in the recent World Cup qualifiers but topped the second division. San Diego said with their performance in the qualifiers, the Lady Volcanoes may be invited to compete in the prestigious Hong Kong 7s next year. www.philstar.com/sports/2012/11/30/877037/volcanoes-gird-tough-%E2%80%9913-sked
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Post by dingodile5 on Dec 13, 2012 22:06:39 GMT 8
Could this be a live telecast? By the way, RMS is also home to our Volcanoes
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Post by stellarboy on Dec 13, 2012 22:30:48 GMT 8
Not sure about the friendly, and the Asian 5 Nations away matches if they will be broadcasted live, but the home matches definitely could be.
Good thing this friendly test match against Papua New Guinea comes through. Sure will be an exciting year for Philippine rugby.
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Post by stellarboy on Jan 14, 2013 13:51:24 GMT 8
New additions in 2012Mexico, Pakistan and the Philippines entered the rankings in March, with Mauritius, American Samoa, the United Arab Emirates and Greece – the last two as the two newest IRB Full Member Unions – following in December. Of these seven nations, the Philippines are the ones to have left their mark, ending the year 15 places higher than they entered the rankings after winning the HSBC Asian 5 Nations Division 1 title on home soil in April to earn their place alongside the continent’s elite in 2013. The Philippines’ story is a remarkable one as it was only in 2008 that they were playing in the sixth tier of the Asian 5 Nations pyramid, and it is not just their Fifteens side enjoying success as they qualified for RWC Sevens 2013 – their country’s first national team to reach a World Cup. This 15-place gain makes the Philippines – along with Colombia – the biggest climbers in 2012, the South Americans actually jumping 17 places in the space of a week after beating the higher ranked Peru and Venezuela in the start of RWC 2015 qualifying in the region. www.irb.com/rankings/news/newsid=2064835.html
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Post by stellarboy on Feb 10, 2013 11:26:58 GMT 8
Volcanoes Squad for Asian 5 Nations Premier Division Named
02/09/2013 The Philippine Rugby Football Union is proud to announce the Men's 15s squad for the upcoming Asian 5 Nations Premier Division Tournament. Volcanoes Squad Abraham, Phil Benares Aronson, Alexander Bellenie, Matthew Orag Carroll, Terry Javier Clarke, Joven Briones Coveney, Justin Villazor Dacanay, Austin Garnica De Guzman, Michael Duhig, Michael Estrada Gomez, Cleo Ferrer Gregson, Jeff Hagan, Graeme Hitch, Chris Baltazar Holgate, Gareth Dela Rosa Howorth, Steve Pagtalunan Letts, Jake Robrigado Letts, Michael Robrigado Matthews, Joseph Bembo Matthews, Luke Bembo Morris, Fred Dionson Olivier, Patrice Ortiz Perry, Nick Ergina Pineda, Nick Price, James Carandang Robinson-Polkey, David Saunders, Ben Abalos Saunders, Matthew Abalos Seeto, Darran Centillas Sutcliffe, Josh Torres Taylor, Richard Urquijo, Jaime Zobel Ward, Jake West, Brian (The players will participate in a training camp in Manila, after which the final team will be named.) Coaching & Management Team Jarred Hodges (Head Coach) Jarred has been coaching the Philippine Volcanoes for the last three years and has been instrumental in getting us to the Premier Division. Phil Gittus (Team Manager) Phil has been involved with rugby since 1976, initially in the UK and since 1999 in the Philippines. Phil’s passion and years of experience in the sport in both countries have been pivotal in the team’s progress since inception. Matt Cullen (Tournament Manager) Matt Cullen is our tournament manager for the A5N. Matt brings with him years of experience in the sport, and has been the driving force in promoting and developing rugby union in the Philippines. Stuart Woodhouse (Assistant backs coach) More fondly called, “Stu”, Stu was a former Australian schoolboy &Waratahsrugby player who eventually became coach in 2005. In his 7 years of coaching, Stu handled winning premiership clubs in Queensland &New South Wales (NSW). Stu was also the backs coach of Eastwood—during the said period, he was able to elevate the team to minor premiers in 2011 &Shute Shield winners in 2012. Damian Raper (Team Physiotherapist) Damo has been the team’s physiotherapist since 2009. He is a Post Graduate Scholar for Physical Therapies at the Australian Institute of Sport. Prior to his role with the Volcanoes, Damian was team physiotherapist to some of Australia’s best rugby squads such as the NSW Schoolboys. Joe Matthews (Strength & Conditioning Coach) “Joey” has been a 7’s & 15’s player for many years. Since 2005, Joey has been lecturing at the Australian Institute of Fitness and is currently the principal of “ACT Barbell”, an organization specializing in strength and conditioning for high performance athletes in Australia. The Asian 5 Nations Tournament The Asian 5 Nations is an annual international Rugby Union competition held between the top five Asian national rugby sides. The Philippines will face Japan, Hong Kong, United Arab Emirates and South Korea in a round-robin competition over five consecutive weekends throughout April and May 2013. The Volcanoes will play two away games and two home games at Rizal Memorial Stadium in Manila. Asian 5 Nations Schedule April 20: Philippines vs. Japan, Japan May 4: Philippines vs. Hong Kong, Manila (Rizal Memorial Stadium) May 11: Philippines vs. South Korea, South Korea May 18:Philippines vs. UAE, Manila (Rizal Memorial Stadium) The Asian 5 Nations represents the highest tier of international rugby in Asia and in 2014, is Asia's qualifying tournament for the Rugby World Cup 2015. www.prfu.com/1/post/2013/02/volcanoes-squad-for-asian-5-nations-premier-division-named.html
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Post by cjeagle on Feb 11, 2013 0:03:50 GMT 8
What happened to 15's former head coach Fil Aussie Expo Mejia? Is he still with the team?
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Post by stellarboy on Feb 26, 2013 17:10:04 GMT 8
Phillipines Rugby Sevens looking forward the Rugby World Cup 7s and beyond under Caravelli and MorrisMonday 25 February 2013 (Alex Borthwick) With the 2013 Rugby World Cup Sevens on the horizon, not to mention the Rio de Janeiro Olympics in 2016, it appears that the potential sleeping giant of sevens rugby that is Asia could be starting to stir. Perpetual Asian heavyweights Hong Kong and Japan had already sealed their qualification for the RWC Sevens by making the final in the Singapore leg of the Asian 7s Series in November last year, leaving the Philippines vying for the final automatic qualification spot with Korea. As the saying goes, the rest is history, what remains is the question of whether the rugby 7s world is about to witness the birth of a new Asian powerhouse? UR7s' Asian correspondent Alex Borthwick spoke with Philippines coach Al Caravelli and their inspirational captain from Singapore Harry Morris to find out what has sparked this Filipino revolution. Following the inaugural HSBC Asian 7s Series in 2011, there has been a notable increase in participation and popularity in the sport in the region, and thus the gap between ‘lesser’ rugby nations and their more widely-known global counterparts seems to be diminishing according to the 52-year-old Caravelli. “With the Asian 5 Nations & the HSBC Asian Sevens Series it has given local talent an eye and goal towards representing their country in international play.” “The team qualifying for the World Cup has attracted more awareness, players are getting very geared up for our selection camp & wanting to go to Moscow (RWC 7s), they can really start to visualize Olympic rings & bright medals,” said Caravelli. “The Asian 5 Nations and the HSBC Asian Sevens Series are getting better every year. The players are now really starting to realise that they have a legitimate shot to qualify for Rio (Olympics),” added the former USA 7s coach. New Yorker Caravelli believes that it is only a matter of time before Asian nations will catch up with the global sevens heavyweights and Eastern nations will be regular additions to the World Sevens Series. “We may not be able to bridge the gap just yet but we will,” he said. An already successful sevens coach, Caravelli was quick to praise the work done prior to his posting as Philippines head coach and believes that the correct plans are in place to accommodate the growth of the sport across the nation. “The past board and the current board that was brought in at the beginning of the year continue to put the pieces in place for the athletes to be able to perform to their fullest potential.” “As the team continues to perform better they will be able to attract more sponsors and consequently the sponsors that have been with us since the beginning will continue to grow as we do.” “With or without me the board has done a wonderful job planning an excellent growth plan for the sport which we are following,” added a humble Caravelli. Humility aside however, the impact since Caravelli was drafted in is not lost on the players and his experience in the sevens world has been invaluable in getting them that coveted third Asian qualifying spot for the World Cup later this year and thus the increased awareness in the sport in the Philippines. “Having Al (Caravelli) on board produced an immediate response from the squad,” said Philippines 7s captain Morris. “Not only is his experience invaluable and his methods very effective, he is also a very nice person off the field and is always ready to speak about anything, open to suggestions or concerns and is very easy to get along with.” When asked where he sees the team after 10 years under Al Caravelli, Morris responded with; “I believe we will be a firm World Series team and be heading towards cup and tournament wins.” Despite this unwavering faith in their coach and mentor, the perennial issue of funding for smaller rugby nations is the main hindrance to their progression. Solve this and Caravelli and Morris will not be alone in thinking the Asian nations will become global sevens giant-killers. “There needs to be a sevens program in place to maintain the strength of current squads as well as to train and improve local youngsters.” “A long term campaign for awareness and promotion of the sport to the masses needs to be undertaken to show the people that there is a sport we can compete internationally in.” “The Russians are in the process of doing this and I think their method is a superb example to the Philippines Rugby Football Union (PRFU) and the Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) to popularise the game,” added Morris. Not that shrinking violets or negative thought processes are synonymous with professional rugby, both Caravelli and Morris have their sights set high when they tackle the best the sevens world has to offer in Moscow. “We know that it’s an uphill battle but if you don’t go out to win any competition you are in, why compete?” he asked. “We believe if we prepare properly as individuals, prepare as a united team and play to our fullest potential then the sky is the limit.” “We have the same opportunity that all 24 teams do to win,” added Caravelli. The positive attitude did not stop there however as Morris was quick to add his high expectations to the mix, targeting not only matches against their Asian counterparts, but also to make an impression when facing the “bigger teams” and the world’s best players. “If we meet our Asian counterparts, Hong Kong and Japan, I believe these teams are very beatable and, as they have both beaten world class teams, then anything is possible,” he said. “A success would be to be viewed as a real threat to everyone we play.” “I believe that we are fully capable of making a massive positive impact and impressing other nations as the underdogs,” he added. ur7s.com/news/2368/phillipines_rugby_sevens_looking_forward_the_rugby_world_cup_7s_and_beyond_under_caravelli_and_morris
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Post by stellarboy on Feb 27, 2013 12:31:24 GMT 8
Pool draw band 4: Japan, Hong Kong, Georgia, Tunisia, Philippines, UruguayOf the six sides in the fourth band to be drawn, only 'los Teros' of Uruguay have competed at the highest level on this season's Series, at the fifth round in Las Vegas. There they lost narrowly to Kenya in pool play and beat Portugal in knock-out play, which goes to underline the competitive edge right across the board in Sevens. Uruguay were the last of the 24 men's teams to qualify, having booked their place in Moscow by finishing second to Argentina at the South American championships in Rio on 24 February. We'll learn much more about them and all of these teams - except the Philippines - in Hong Kong in March, from where the best non-core team performers will go on to London to try and win core team status for next season, and also get all-important game time ahead of the Rugby World Cup. The Philippines will not compete in Hong Kong, having concentrated all of their efforts this season on qualifying for the World Cup under the coaching eye of former US Eagles Sevens head coach, Al Caravelli. www.rwcsevens.com/men/news/newsid=2065517.html#rwc+sevens+pool+draw+form+guideThe Rugby World Cup Sevens 2013 pool allocation draw takes place at Petroff Palace in Moscow on February 28, placing the 16 women's teams into four pools of four and the 24 men's teams into six pools of four.
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Post by stellarboy on Feb 28, 2013 10:07:05 GMT 8
What happened to 15's former head coach Fil Aussie Expo Mejia? Is he still with the team? To answer your question CJ, the PRFU on their official Facebook page, has announced he resigned from the post, and was therefore replaced by Jarred Hodges. 15 February 2013
Dear PRFU members, friends & supporters,
Today we say farewell to Expo Mejia who has recently resigned from his position at the PRFU as National Head Coach.
In his three years with PRFU, the Philippine Volcanoes gained unprecedented success. The team was promoted to Division 1 standing and was crowned A5N Champions in 2010 and 2012. Together with Coach Al Caravelli, the 7s team finished 3rd in Asia and the Volcanoes are now preparing for the prestigious 2013 World Cup Sevens. These contributions have been key to the country’s success in rugby union.
On behalf of the PRFU and the entire rugby community, our heartfelt thanks to Expo for his passion and dedication to the team and the sport. We wish you all the best in your future endeavors.
Rick Santos PRFU President
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Post by stellarboy on Feb 28, 2013 19:24:18 GMT 8
The Philippines team have been grouped in Pool C of the 2013 Rugby World Cup Sevens alongside Samoa, Kenya and Zimbabwe. IMO, my group of death goes to Pool B, with each of them being part of top teams of their respective regions. This group might be unpredictable to determine which team gets out of the group. Pool C is quite interesting, Samoa is actually the stronger team and should give the Volcanoes a hard time. Kenya and Zimbabwe may be beatable as far as their latest performance went.
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Post by cjeagle on Mar 1, 2013 0:57:32 GMT 8
What happened to 15's former head coach Fil Aussie Expo Mejia? Is he still with the team? To answer your question CJ, the PRFU on their official Facebook page, has announced he resigned from the post, and was therefore replaced by Jarred Hodges. 15 February 2013
Dear PRFU members, friends & supporters,
Today we say farewell to Expo Mejia who has recently resigned from his position at the PRFU as National Head Coach.
In his three years with PRFU, the Philippine Volcanoes gained unprecedented success. The team was promoted to Division 1 standing and was crowned A5N Champions in 2010 and 2012. Together with Coach Al Caravelli, the 7s team finished 3rd in Asia and the Volcanoes are now preparing for the prestigious 2013 World Cup Sevens. These contributions have been key to the country’s success in rugby union.
On behalf of the PRFU and the entire rugby community, our heartfelt thanks to Expo for his passion and dedication to the team and the sport. We wish you all the best in your future endeavors.
Rick Santos PRFU PresidentI see. Too bad. I heard he was an excellent rugby coach who had the added benefit of being Philippine born and having Filipino roots.
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Post by stellarboy on Mar 26, 2013 1:04:31 GMT 8
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Post by donabritz on Mar 26, 2013 16:09:04 GMT 8
stellarboy: the 3rd schedule is not on June 30th? I think you might have accidentally deleted the date for the 3rd game
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Post by stellarboy on Mar 26, 2013 17:11:47 GMT 8
stellarboy: the 3rd schedule is not on June 30th? I think you might have accidentally deleted the date for the 3rd game Yes, 3rd match isn't on the 30th - it's reserved for the knockout stages. Remember that 7s matches take only 14 minutes (2 7-minute halves), so many matches can be held on a full day.
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