Alan Maconald (Asst Coach), Kenneth Stern, Maria Engelbrecht (Medic), Cleo Gomez, Rafael Zappia (VC), Juan Engelbrecht, Fred Morris, John Odulio, Andrew Wolff. Kneeling: Darran Seeto, Rick Hartley (Head Coach), Fred Colina, Oliver Saunders (Capt), Noel Flowers, Mark Chatting, Erick Elefante (Asst Mngr). Filipino-Australians in the team: Fred Colina, Noel Flowers, Cleo Gomez, Oliver Saunders, Darran Seeto, Rafael Zappia.

With players coming from all over the world and with only a one and a half hour training run as a full team on day of the tournament, the Philippines Rugby Football Union (PRFU) National Rugby 7s team’s Runners up result at the Brunei Rugby 7s on the 24 and 25th October was a great one.

PRFU Rugby 7s Head Coach Rick Hartley was pleased with his players efforts.

The players skills, commitment and dedication was evident in there first game against India who had previously competed in the September Shanghai Rugby 7s and had a couple of weeks of rugby training at the famous Stellenbosch rugby academy in South Africa which have many retired Springbok players in their staff.

All the players put their bodies on the line with a hard fought 14-12 win. This was evident when Philippines forward Andrew Wolff stayed on the field in the last minute of play, even though his lower lip was cut and bleeding after a nasty head clash to finish the game. Andrew needed to be taken to a hospital in an ambulance after the match to get 25 stitches on his lower lip so missed out on the next game against Brunei.

The second match was against host nation Brunei where the Philippines rugby skills and flare was on show. The RP team defeated the host convincingly 35-0 with Captain Oliver Saunders leading his players well around the field, dictating play. Debutant International John Odulio who has only been playing rugby union in the Philippines for the last 5 months scored two tries on debut.

The final match of the day was against tournament favourites Malaysia who were last year’s Asian Rugby Football Rugby 7s regional champion at the Sri Lanka Rugby 7s. With only the one training run as a whole team in the morning of this tournament the final score line of 36-5 against the Philippines showed up the minimal preparation time the players had against high quality, well drilled and skilful Rugby 7s opposition.

The team came away from this match learning a lot from the experience.

The second day of play saw the Philippines final pool match against Laos. Where the teams size, skill and flare showed in the score line of 48-0 with Andrew Wolff, Kenneth Stern and new International Cleo Gomez scoring a brace of tries.

The Philippines team came off the field giving the Lao side a standing ovation forming the end of match “rugby tunnel” to congratulate a gallant Lao team which contained many players under the age of 20 with some only being 15 years old at this tournament.

Bodies on the line with hard tackling

In the 1st Semifinal of Day 2, the Philippines again played India for a spot in the Final of the tournament.

Again the Philippines players put their bodies on the line with hard tackling and hit ups forcing the Indians backwards with new International Fred Colina being a good example of this hard play. Even though he was the smallest member of the squad he took it up to the Indians in defence, like a Terrier he was tackling them around their ankles stopping the Indians from breaking the Philippines line.

The game was played with great intensity due to a final spot being at stake. With the Philippines scoring a try in each half of the match indicating the toughness of the game. Veteran International Noel Flowers scored both tries in the match.

The intensity of the semi-final game against India came at a cost for the Philippines. With forward and Vice Captain Rafael Zappia, coming off the field with knee ligament damage, after a collision with an Indian player and needed to be taken to the hospital in an ambulance for x-rays.

Debutant forward Darran Seeto played himself to the ground and came off the field suffering from heat exhaustion and severe leg cramps after playing nearly the entire match. Medic Maria Engelbrecht and Assistant manager Erick Elefante needed to assist Darran off the field after treating him for his injuries.

The Philippines went into the finals of the Brunei 7s with only 10 men to malaysia’s 12 and more significantly with only 2 of their forwards fit for the show down.

The lack of players and training time did not show in the final match with the crowd witnessing the game of the tournament, fit for a final. All were on their feet cheering and in awe of a great match with the final score line of 28 – 7 not a true reflection of how close the game was for the Philippines. Again Veteran International Noel Flowers scored the only try for the Philippines making it a habit of scoring in crucial matches, with Juan Engelbrecht converting the try.

The dedication and commitment of players in the national squad showed in the final with the forwards defence and hit ups by Fred Morris and Andrew Wolff who did not care that he had 25 stitches on his lower lip being ferocious, with both taking it up to the Malaysian side. Captain Oliver Saunders had a magnificent game marshalling his troops and leading from the front with his defensive and attacking play against a well drilled opposition.

The closeness of the match was evident with Kenneth Stern being held up just before the try line in the first half and Andrew Wolff being tackled in the corner in the last 30 seconds of play. Such last minute determination showed that the national side did not give up and took the game to Malaysia up to the end.

PRFU Rugby 7s Head Coach Rick Hartley and his assistant coach Alan Macdonald were pleased with their players performance and look forward to the October 31 and November 1 Borneo 7s in Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, Malaysia where their charges do battle against Asia’s rugby power houses like Japan with a total of 12 nations competing.

The Philippines is in Pool C in this tournament with China, Chinese-Taipei and India making up the group.

Day 1 Results:
Philippines v India 14 -12
Tries: Andrew Wolff & Juan Engelbrecht
Conversions: Oliver Saunders * 2

Philippines v Brunei 35-0
Tries: John Odulio * 2, Cleo Gomez, Oliver Saunders & Kenneth Stern
Conversions: Oliver Saunders * 4 & Juan Engelbrecht

Philippines v Malaysia 5 – 36
Tries: Mark Chatting

Day 2 Results:

Philippines v Laos 48-0
Tries: Cleo Gomez * 2, Andrew Wolff * 2, Kenneth Stern * 2, John Odulio & Juan Engelbrecht Conversions: Oliver Saunders * 2 , Juan Engelbrecht * 2

Semi Final
Philippines v India 10 – 0
Tries: Noel Flowers * 2

Final
Philippines v Malaysia 7 – 28
Tries: Noel Flowers
Conversions: Juan Engelbrecht

*** From Malaysia, Kota Kinabalu, October 29, 2009 by Erick Elefante, PRFU Regional Representative for Australia and Asia Pacific Region

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