Rugby widens its reach

2010 was the most successful year for the Philippine Rugby Football Union (PRFU). Not only has the Philippines ascended to the highest level of Asian rugby competition, it has also been able to send a women’s 7s team and a women’s 15s team to international competitions, where they have acquitted themselves very well.

From the 5th to 16th centuries, many local ball games were played in different parts of Europe. These games in the middle ages were called folk football, mob football or Shrovetide football. They were similar to fiesta or town festival games played here, wherein one community would invite its neighbors to friendly matches. In those days, however, there was no specific number of players or even a limit to the members of a team. Squads would simply fight to move an inflated pig’s bladder by any means necessary to pre-set markers at each end of town. In years to come, authorities – mostly based in bigger cities – would later attempt to prohibit such dangerous games.

The popular (albeit unproven) story about rugby union’s original centers on William Webb Ellis, who in 1823, “with fine disregard for the rules of football as played in his time at Rugby school, first took the ball in his arms and ran with it, thus originating the distinctive feature of the Rugby game”. This story, largely anecdotal, gained a life of its own throughout the United Kingdom to the point that the international committee named the Rugby World Cup the “William Webb Ellis Trophy”. All this, of course, took place before football (or soccer as it is more commonly known to those of us outside Europe) branched off into its different permutations.

Here in the Philippines, soccer was king in early Spanish times, as it was imported by our colonizers. Gradually, it infiltrated colleges and universities, until its peak in the 1950’s. Slowly, it waned in popularity until basketball, buoyed by television, became the country’s passion in the 1980’s. Rugby union was largely unknown, played by pockets of expats in different parts of Metro Manila. For the most part, it has been kept alive by independent groups like the Nomads and a few international schools. An international tournament is played in Angeles every year to benefit the street children of Bahay Bata, supported by the Rotary Club of Clark Centennial.

About two decades ago, rugby was becoming the sport of choice by Filipinos who had grown up in Commonwealth states. It was taught in their schools, and they benefited from being bigger than average. The initial Philippine teams were made mostly of foreigners, until, over the last few years, Fil-foreigners started expressing their nationalistic bent and suited up for the country. In the last few seasons, pure-blooded Filipinos have learned the game well enough to represent the country. In the last five years, the Philippines has climbed a notch every year until in 2010, we made it to Level One in Asia,

“Rugby is a sport where Filipinos have done well, and can be among the world’s best,” explains Matt Cullen, national coach and program head of the PRFU. “The last few years alone have shown how much progress we can make if we set our minds to it and get the support.”

With the Southeast Asian games this year, the PRFU is looking at a very busy year, along with the other international and invitational events already slated starting this month.

“The Philippines Rugby Football Union are gearing up for another exciting year of developing the sport of Rugby Union here in the Philippines and attending several Asian Championships in 2011,” Cullen elaborates. “This will culminate with the SEA Games in Indonesia in November. The last time the Philippines played Rugby 7s at SEA Games events, we won the silver medal in Thailand in 2007 and the gold medal in the Philippines in 2005.”

The National Women’s 7s team has also been invited to compete in the world-renowned Hong Kong 7s international tournament this running March 24 and 25. But the campaigns begin in earnest as the Philippine national developmental team takes on Sabah Regional in Kota Kinabalu.

After the Hong Kong 7s, the Philippine national men’s team challenges Hong Kong at the Rizal Memorial Stadium on April 14 and 16. Then, the most important tournament follows, as the men join the Asian 5 Nations (A5N) Division 1 Championship in Seoul, South Korea. Korea, Malaysia and Singapore make up the tough field.

What makes rugby exciting is that there’s a lot of action, it’s a physical game, and strategy is just as important as physical preparation. In one’ year’s time, we’ve been able to form a competitive women’s team, though the men are undeniably reaping the rewards of having years of experience behind them. For this year, our women’s teams will gain experience against their rivals in this part of the world. Invitational tournament will also be of great help, since many club teams from other Southeast Asian countries usually count national players among their members. Perhaps, the only thing we may need on the women’s sides is a little more size, since taller players often end up playing volleyball or basketball.

With the help of a few more sponsors, rugby union will have a strong, stable future. We already have the material, the players just need a little more nurturing and experience.