by Mark Villamora

NONTHABURI, THAILAND — The Philippine Volcanoes are still the kings of the rugby pitch.
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In a high-stakes showdown at the Nonthaburi Provincial Stadium on Saturday, July 18, the Philippines unleashed a devastating second-half scoring blitz to dismantle a resilient Malaysian squad, 39-18, successfully defending their Unions Cup title.
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Following dominant tournament victories over Laos (74-0) and Singapore (33-10), the Volcanoes entered the finals facing their steepest test yet. Last year's champions—who captured the crown in Kaohsiung, Taiwan—found themselves locked in a tight contest through the opening 40 minutes before completely pulling away after the break.

A First-Half Pendulum

The Philippines struck first and struck hard. Just five minutes into the match, James Halasan Ryan weaponized pure brute strength, bulldozing through the Malaysian defense following consecutive, grinding scrums near the try line. A successful conversion by Ryan Rodriguez Curtis put the Volcanoes up 7-0 early.

But Malaysia refused to back down. They chipped away at the lead with an 11th-minute penalty kick, and despite pulling another attempt wide shortly after, they seized the momentum. In the 20th minute, Malaysia exposed a rare gap in the Philippine backline to score their opening try, jumping ahead 10-7.

The rest of the half played out like a chess match. Ryan Curtis leveled things at 10-10 with a clutch 28th-minute penalty kick, only for Malaysia to pierce through the defense three minutes later for their second try of the afternoon. A missed conversion left the score at 15-10.

​​Four minutes later, Connor Browne put the exclamation point on the championship performance, bulldozing his way over the line for one final try. Curtis maintained his near-flawless kicking display to seal the 39-18 scoreline.
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Bringing the Cup Home

With the victory, the Volcanoes solidify their era of dominance in the tournament. Even better news for Filipino rugby fans? They won't have to travel far to see the defense of the crown. It was confirmed that the Philippines will officially host the Unions Cup next year, bringing the action right to the home crowd as they eye a historic three-peat.

| Photos by Azrael Coladilla

by Mark Villamora

​The Philippine Volcanoes booked their ticket to the Unions Cup finals with a commanding 33–10 victory over Singapore at the Navaminda Kasatriyadhiraj Royal Air Force Academy (NKRAFA) Pitch in Bangkok. Fueled by a relentless, high-scoring second half, the defending champions turned a razor-thin halftime lead into a definitive statement on the pitch.

A Tightly Contested Opening Half

From the opening whistle, the Volcanoes signaled their intent. Winning the opening scrum, the Philippines immediately secured possession and set a physical tone for the match. The early pressure paid dividends when Singapore conceded a penalty, allowing dynamic playmaker Ryan Curtis to step up to the tee and calmly slot the ball through the uprights, putting the Philippines ahead 3–0.

Singapore refused to beat a hasty retreat. Following a grueling, hard-fought stretch of play where both defensive lines were pushed to their limits, Singapore drew a penalty of their own and leveled the score at 3–3.

The Volcanoes found their response through a perfectly executed set piece. After winning a clean lineout, the Filipino pack powered forward, sucking in the Singaporean defense. Sensing the opportunity, scrum-half Kai Stroem delivered a perfectly weighted tactical kick into open space. Winger Vince Young won the footrace, gathered the bouncing ball cleanly, and dove over the line for the match’s opening try, restoring the lead at 8–3.

​Singapore bounced back before the break, putting together a clinical phase of rugby that resulted in a converted try, momentarily edging ahead 10–8. However, just as the clock ticked toward halftime, the Volcanoes earned another penalty. Showing immense composure, Curtis slotted his second successful kick of the afternoon, sending the Philippines into the halftime huddle​ with a narrow 11–10 advantage.

The Second-Half Blitz

If the first half was a chess match, the second half was a showcase of pure Filipino firepower.

Just 30 seconds after the restart, Ned Stephenson blew the game wide open. The bruising backliner burst through the defensive line on a tearing run, drew the last defender, and linked up with Vince Young. Young quickly flipped the ball back inside to Stephenson, who completed the breathtaking, coast-to-coast play to score the try, extending the lead to 16–10.

Momentum had firmly shifted, and the Volcanoes began to play with immense flair. Minutes later, Judd Greenhalgh received the ball in the midfield. With the defense closing in, Greenhalgh sold a spectacular dummy pass that completely froze the Singaporean line. Keeping the ball himself, he cut through the gap and dove over for another try. Curtis added the extra two points with a successful conversion, pushing the score to 23–10.

The finest individual moment of the match belonged to Michael Blatteis. Picking up the ball near the halfway line, the lightning-fast back turned on the afterburners, evading desperate Singaporean tackles as he shredded the defense. Blatteis sprinted the distance to score an incredible try right in the corner pocket of the try zone. Facing a nearly impossible conversion from the absolute edge of the touchline, Curtis stepped up and struck the ball beautifully, routing it through the posts to make it 30–10.

The referee's final whistle blew shortly after, concluding a dominant 22–0 second-half run by the Philippines. With a final score of 33–10, the Volcanoes march into the final as they look to defend their Unions Cup title. They are set to face off against Malaysia in the championship match this coming Saturday, July 18, at 5:00 PM Philippine Time at the Nonthaburi Stadium in Thailand.

Match Summary

• First Half: Philippines 11 – 10 Singapore
• Second Half: Philippines 22 – 0 Singapore
• Final Score: Philippines 33 – 10 Singapore

​About the Philippine Rugby Football Union 
The Philippine Rugby Football Union (PRFU) is the governing body for rugby in the Philippines. Established in 1998, PRFU is dedicated to developing and promoting rugby across the country, from grassroots participation to elite competition. The Union oversees domestic competitions, national development programs, and the Philippine national rugby teams, with the goal of growing rugby as a leading sport in the Philippines.

For media inquiries, please contact:
admin@philippines.rugby

by Mark Villamora

​The Philippine Men’s XVs Volcanoes opened their Unions Cup 2026 campaign in dominant fashion, defeating Laos 74–0 at the NKRAFA Pitch in Thailand.

Raphael Barberis opened the scoring for the Volcanoes with an early try, giving the Philippines a 7–0 lead. Charles Warren soon added another try to extend the advantage to 12–0, before Benjamin Mudie crossed the line to make it 17–0.
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Warren scored his second try of the match after a brilliant pass from Barberis, pushing the score to 22–0. Tommy Gilbert then powered through multiple defenders to score, giving the Volcanoes a 27–0 lead.

Michael Blatteis finished a brilliant team move involving Ned Stephenson and Barberis, with Stephenson adding the conversion to make it 34–0 at halftime.
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The Volcanoes continued their momentum in the second half as Blatteis scored his second try after a pass from James Ryan, followed by a Stephenson conversion for a 41–0 lead.

Richard Lewis then produced a powerful bulldozer run through multiple Laos defenders to score, with Kyle Westbrook adding his first conversion points on debut (48–0).

Sean Sweetman delivered another dominant carry, forcing his way over the line as Westbrook converted to make it 55–0. Ned Stephenson added another try after a strong scrum from the Volcanoes pack, with Westbrook converting for 62–0.

Connor Browne scored another try after a quick-thinking move from a scrum, and Westbrook added the conversion to extend the lead to 69–0.

Westbrook capped off his Volcanoes debut with his first try for the national team, finishing a brilliant play from Chezter Altea, who kicked ahead, chased the ball, and delivered the final pass. The try sealed the Philippines’ emphatic 74–0 victory over Laos.

​The Volcanoes now begin their Unions Cup 2026 campaign with a statement win.

Despite the dominant opening performance, Head Coach Josh emphasized that the team's focus remains on the two remaining matches as they continue their title defense. He also called on the Filipino rugby community around the world to rally behind the Volcanoes.
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"I really encourage anyone who's here in Bangkok to come out and watch us. And if you're at home, please support us online. The games will be streamed. We feel your support no matter where in the world you are. So, if you're in the Philippines, if you're in Manila, if you're in the provinces, or if you're in my mom's hometown of Bacolod, please support us and watch what we're doing," he said.
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With their opening win secured, the Volcanoes now shift their focus to Singapore on July 15 at 5:00 p.m. (PHT) at the NKRAFA Pitch in Thailand. The defending champions will look to build on their strong start as they continue their campaign to retain the Unions Cup 2026 title.

​About the Philippine Rugby Football Union 
The Philippine Rugby Football Union (PRFU) is the governing body for rugby in the Philippines. Established in 1998, PRFU is dedicated to developing and promoting rugby across the country, from grassroots participation to elite competition. The Union oversees domestic competitions, national development programs, and the Philippine national rugby teams, with the goal of growing rugby as a leading sport in the Philippines.

For media inquiries, please contact:
admin@philippines.rugby

by Mark Villamora

​The Philippine Rugby Football Union (PRFU) has announced its travelling squad for the Unions Cup 2026, sending 37 players and five management staff to Bangkok, Thailand, from July 12–18, as the team aims to defend its Unions Cup title.

In addition, seven members of the Philippine squad have been selected to represent the Asian Barbarians, a representative side composed of players from different rugby unions across Asia.

The following are the Top 30 players of the Philippine Men's 15s Rugby National Team, from which the 23-man matchday squad will be selected throughout the three matches of the Unions Cup.
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1. ALTEA, Chezter Marc
2. BARBERIS, Raphael Concepcion
3. BEBOSO, Lawrence
4. BLATTEIS, Michael Gomez
5. BROWNE, Connor Estrella
6. CANAPI, Li Wing Sang
7. CARDENAS, John Mark
8. CATUBIG, Justine
9. CURTIS, Ryan Rodriguez
10. DAVIES, Dylan Amoguis
11. ESTRADA, Giovanni
12. FEENEY, David
13. GILBERT, Tommy Kalaw
14. GREENHALGH, Judd Sanchez
15. HERNANDEZ, Edlen
16. JIMENEZ, Nicolo Galvante
17. LEWIS, Richard Nicholas
18. MELLORIN, Ken
19. MITSUHASHI, Kohei Deocareza
20. MOSTOLES JR., Malcolm
21. MUDIE, Benjamin Bruce
22. REYES JR., Thomas Lee
23. RYAN, James Halasan
24. SCHIRMER, Jason Bonilla
25. STEPHENSON, Ned Plarizan
26. STROEM, Kai Ledesma
27. SWEETMAN, Sean
28. WARREN, Charles Michael
29. WESTBROOK, Kyle
30. YOUNG, Vincent Amar

Head Coach: Joshua Torres Sutcliffe
Assistant Coach: Robert Luceno Fogerty
Physiotherapists: Jun Whei Cheah & Archibald Look
Team Manager: Lalaine Joyce Bacus
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The following seven Filipino players have also been selected to join the Asian Barbarians during the tournament:

1. DENT, Harvey
2. EIZMENDI, Fausto
3. LAPID, Ardiel Nagrampa
4. MASALUNGA, Jovan
5. MORALES, Ezra James
6. NEWTON, Philip Gregor
7. REOPEREZ, Ian Michael

Nineteen of the 37-player travelling squad are new additions compared to last year's Unions Cup squad. The group includes standout performers from the local rugby scene, members of the Philippine Men's Sevens National Team, and players making their debut as part of the Volcanoes program.

The team arrived in Bangkok on July 7 and has begun its intensive training camp ahead of its opening match against Laos on July 12 at 3:00 PM (PHT) at NKRAFA Pitch in Saraburi, Thailand.

The tournament will also be played at the Armed Forces Development Command (AFDC) Stadium and conclude at the Nonthaburi Provincial Stadium (NONPAO), with all venues located in Bangkok.

Stay updated by following the Philippine Rugby Football Union's social media platforms for the latest news, match updates, and results from the Unions Cup 2026.

About the Philippine Rugby Football Union 
The Philippine Rugby Football Union (PRFU) is the governing body for rugby in the Philippines. Established in 1998, PRFU is dedicated to developing and promoting rugby across the country, from grassroots participation to elite competition. The Union oversees domestic competitions, national development programs, and the Philippine national rugby teams, with the goal of growing rugby as a leading sport in the Philippines.

For media inquiries, please contact:
admin@philippines.rugby