In another “non-basketball sport”, Filipinos have started to make a name for themselves much like the Azkals in soccer. Rugby, which is fast gaining popularity and recognition, in non-Commonwealth countries, is in the fact the ancestor of American Football and basketball. Like cricket, it is the the favorite game of the old boys from exclusive public schools like Eton and Harrow.
The Duke of Wellington is often quoted as saying that "The Battle of Waterloo was won on the playing-fields of Eton". Wellington was at Eton from 1781 to 1784 and naturally sent his sons there. “There grows the stuff that won Waterloo," he said while watching his sons play on the fields. The historian Sir Edward Creasy understands the statement as a reference to "the manly character induced by games and sport" amongst English youth generally, not a comment about Eton specifically. Some even said that even the Battle of Britain was won on Eton’s playing fields.
In the Philippines, Malaysia, and Hong Kong, it is played mostly by British expatriates and foreign enthusiasts. Japan, for one, has its own rugby league. Locally, the sport has seen growing interest lately among Filipinos due to the active promotions of local rugby clubs such as the Nomads and the Alabang Eagles.
Supervised by the Philippine Rugby Football Union, a recognized member of the Philippine Sports Commission and the Philippine Olympic Committee, this year sees several milestones in Philippine rugby as the Philippines compete in regional qualifiers – Men’s, Women’s and Boys Under 18s. This is the road that hopefully will lead to the Rugby World Cup or a shot an an Olympic medal as rugby has been included as an Olympic sport for the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro together with such other major sports as golf.
The women’s team started the international foray as they participated for the first time in the Hong Kong Seven last March. The men’s team, after defeating regional powerhouse, India last year will compete this May in the Asian 5 Nations Division I Championship. Meanwhile the Under 18s team is qualified to compete in Division I to be held in Taipei this April 13, 2011. It is significant to note that both the Men’s and the Under 18s team are both in Division 1. In soccer, more so in basketball, the Philippines is ranked in lower divisions.
On Saturday, 3p.m. of April 9, The Philippine Under 18 Team will have a match against the Alabang Eagles at the Nomads Club in Merville. Let’s try to watch them and give them our support to they can leave with more confidence for their Taiwan competition. With our support, they can rampage on to the gold at the Rugby World Cup and the 2012 Olympics. Then we can also say that the battle for the World Cup was won on the playing-fields of the Nomads.
The members of the Under 18s Philippine Team are standing from Left to Right: Marcus Skeen (Coach), Colin O'Brien, Ross Barnaby McLeod, Kyle Sutherland, Micah Z. Liu, Evans Atandi (Coach), Matt Cullen (Coach)
Front Row Left to Right: Issac Olson, Joshua Lee, Yuske Fukayama, Gio Orbos, Warren Carman, Zach Taylor, Joshua Harmann (Not in photo are :Daniel Melrose, Krysten Gandhi, Jake Batuhan, Paul Lee, Micah Liu, Ryan Paul Stewart, Scot Samwill, Lee Sandaga, Merick Robyn Magaraog)
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