HANDA nang mag-alburuto ang Philippine Volcanoes – men’s at women’s national rugby seven squad — matapos ang mahaba-habang panahong pamamahinga sa international competition sa pagsabak sa Asia Rugby Sevens Series sa Nov. 19-20 sa Dubai Sports City sa United Arab Emirates.
“It’s been a long time but we are happy and excited to see action in this tournament,” pahayag ni PH team manager Jake Letts patungkol sa unang torneo ng PH squads mula nang lumaban sa 2019 30th Southeast Asian Games.
Itinanghal na kampeon ang Volcanoes sa SEA Games, habang silver medal ang nakamit ng Lady Volcanoes.
Tampok ang walong bansa sa Asia – men’s at women’s class – sa dalawang araw na kompetisyon na magsisilbing Asian qualifiers para sa Rugby World Cup Sevens na nakatakda sa September 2022 sa South Africa.
Kasama ng Volcanoes sa Pool A ang South Korea, Hong Kong at Malaysia, habang ang Lady Volcanoes ay nasa Pool A din kasama ang Japan, Kazakhstan at Thailand. Makakausad sa Rugby World Cup Series ang mangungunang dalawang koponan sa torneo.
“We would like to thank the Philippine Sports Commission and the Philippine Olympic Committee for their support of this international competition,” pahayag ni PRFU President Ada Milby. “We hope to do the Philippines proud in this tournament.”
Para mas mapalakas ang tsansa ng koponan, kinuha ng Volcanoes bilang coach si Australian Josh Sutcliffe, head coach ng Stanford University Club, habang ang Samoan coach na si Fetala’a ‘Fitz’ Taua’a ang gagabay sa women’s team.
“Josh has had a great depth of experience with USA Rugby while leading the Stanford rugby program for the last five years while Coach Fitz will be resuming where he left with our women’s squad in 2019,” sabi ni Letts.
Ayon kay Milby, nagdesisyon ang PRFU na kunin ang serbisyo ng mga Fil-foreigner player upang masiguro na sapat ang pagsasanay at kahandaan ng koponan matapos ang halos dalawang taong pagsasara ng sports activities sa bansa dahil sa COVID-19 pandemic.
“We will have 10 new faces with our national teams as a result of our scouting process and we believe they will be assets not only in this tournament but also for future international events,” aniya.
Ang Volcanoes ay binubuo nina Christopher Bird Lewis, Edlen Gil Robert Hernandez, Kai Kristian Stroem, Ralph Jose Pierre Barberis, Jobel de Castro, Jordan Samuel Rhoades, Vincent Francis Young, Ian Christopher Luciano, Clifford Joe Dawson, Luc Stefan Smith, Ethan Luke Shien Chen at Jerome Lloyd Ruder.
Kasama naman sa Lady Volcanoes sina Erica Mae Legaspi, Aldee Faith Denuyo, Helena Indigne, Jennifer Lyn Johnson, Lauryn Madrigal Nazareno, Loramhel Monique Mateo, Naomi Kate Palis, Mary Riclaire Martinez, Tanya Louise Bird, Vanessa Cifuentes, Alyanna del Fierro at Lilian Christina Smythe. EDWIN ROLLON