THE Philippine Rugby Football Union (PRFU) World Rugby Coaching Course level one opened at the Ateneo de Davao University Matina AVR 4 Saturday, June 25.

A total of 15 participants came to experience and learn the basic course of coaching. PRFU director Matt Cullen, in an interview with Sun.Star Davao Saturday, hopes to develop the sport among the youth of the Philippines and give them the opportunity to learn as it can be played by both boys and girls.

"Ultimately we wanted the kids to represent the country in 14, 16, and 20 or become a part of the Philippine Volcanoes." Cullen also aims to educate the youth, adding, "We wanted to teach the fundamentals of rugby football, and to do this, we will start teaching touch rugby which is non-contact."

The course, according to him, also aims to empower coaches. "Today they are learning the coaching course which is certified and they will be able to go out now and teach young players how to play touch rugby and tackle rugby in a safe environment."

Former Davao Durian rugby football player Hilton Soberano, in a separate interview, said advantages of courses like this will allow him to share his passion and learning to others.

"I am one of the people assisting coach Rose and coach Blessie especially pag nagtuturo sila sa mga grassroots level, ma i-apply ko ang learning ko dito."
Former development player of the national team William Leysa, who came from General Santos, wished to open the first rugby football club in his hometown.
"Kailangan kasi ng coaching experience and certificate para makatayo ang club, and advantage kasi ito para makakuha ka ng maraming ideas at principles of coaching."

The World Rugby level 1 match officials course will be tackled today at the same venue while the first World Rugby Get in to Rugby Program in the Philippines is slated July 2 and 3 at SOS Children's Village Davao.

Published in the Sun.Star Davao newspaper on June 25, 2016. Source: http://www.sunstar.com.ph/davao/sports/2016/06/25/world-rugby-course-opens-481629

​THE Philippine Rugby Football Union (PRFU) will launch its first World Rugby Course in the Philippines slated June 25 and 26 then on July 2 and 3 at the Ateneo de Davao University Matina and SOS Children's Village Davao, respectively.

(PRFU) senior development officer Rose Mae Lanticse and development officer Blessie Kate delos Santos bared this Thursday, June 23, during the Davao Sportswriters Association (DSA) Forum at The Annex of SM City Davao.
Tackled will be the World Rugby Level 1 Coaching course, Match Officials course, and the World Rugby Get Into Rugby Program-Touch Rugby Coaching course.

The coaching and matching courses will be facilitated by World Rugby Educator Matt Cullens. Delos Santos said,

"The purpose why we brought it here paradumamiyung officials and referees natin here in Davao and to spread rugby." Lanticse, for her part, said "We prefer to have locals to have rugby backgrounds."

She also said that they already have 15 to 20 in the list for the first two courses although others have yet to confirm.

"Most of them are from Davao City, one from General Santos who is a former development player of the national team," Lanticse added.

She also said the World Rugby Get Into Rugby Program-Touch Rugby Coaching course will focus on public school Physical Education (PE) teachers in each district to make the event well-represented.

"The course will teach the principles, insurance safety for officials, laws of the game, and skill wise," Lanticse added.

PRFU's main goal is to make the sports rugby football make it to the PalarongPambansa.

Registration is free.

Source: http://www.sunstar.com.ph/davao/sports/2016/06/23/first-world-rugby-course-ph-set-weekend-481276
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June 7, 2016

MANILA, PHILIPPINES – Saturday June 4, after fifty-seven games of rugby throughout the competition, the Alabang Eagles Rugby Club claimed victory over the Manila Nomads in the grand final of the 2016 SPI 15s league. The SPI 15s League acts as Philippine Rugby’s local domestic tournament aimed at improving the development of rugby in the Philippines. It is the sports equivalent to the sanctioned Philippine Football Federations United Football League (UFL).

It had taken the visitors and reigning 2015 league champions up until the final 3 minutes to secure a back-to-back title after a desperate last haul from the Manila Nomads. Philippine Volcano and Alabang Eagles team captain Timothy Bweheni led from the front with both his try scoring ability and conversion rate proving valuable in his teams’ victory. The Manila Nomads looked to experienced campaigners to withhold the Eagles dominance however the absence of star player and current Philippine Volcano and U19s team captain Kai Ledesma Stroem for the grand final proved costly.

“We went down six to nothing in the first few minutes of the game but the Eagles didn’t keep their heads down. The team also made a few errors towards the end that almost lost us the game but no one panicked, all I saw was determination in the players’ eyes. Everyone believed in each other, trusted each other and played for each other. I think that’s the reason why we picked ourselves up from trailing 6 points down on the first quarter of the game to come on out on top for the grand final” shared Bweheni, team captain after the Eagles ran out eventual winners 24 points to 16.

The Plate Division final saw the CBRE Makati Mavericks Plate Champions for the first year after a close encounter over their close rivals the Alabang Ibons. The Alabang Ibons went undefeated throughout the tournament rounds however the pressures of finals football fell in favor to the Mavericks. The Mavericks welcomed back Philippine Volcano Alexander Norona Aronson from injury and with Lito Ramirez continuing his stellar form the Mavericks it proved favorably to withhold a spirited Alabang team. A final minute penalty goal in the dying minute by U19 Philippine Volcano Ryan Santos secured a 13 points to 10 victory for the Mavericks.

"I was really proud of the effort our players put in. I felt we played some brave and gutsy defense, fronting up to a much bigger and on the whole more experienced Ibons side. I'm also proud of the development and improvement of our local Filipino players and grassroots high school players. We suffered a 60 to nil loss to them earlier in the year and we able to regroup and best them in the final. It really shows how far we've come as a group, and it was a great way to finish the season." Added Philippine Volcano and Makati Maverick Aronson.

After the announcement of the forced closure of Nomads Sports Club, the birthplace of Philippine Rugby, it was an emotional end to what may have been the last game of rugby at the century old venue, with rugby dating back to the early 1960s. The Philippine Rugby Football Union now looks to August for the launch of the 2016 PRFU Corporate 7s League to a new venue within Metro Manila. And with Rugby 7s inclusion into the Rio Olympic Games the sport looks to gain valuable exposure with the fast paced and exciting style of 7s rugby being displayed on the world’s most exclusive stage.

​MANILA, PHILIPPINES – After six competition rounds, fifty-two games of local rivalries, the Philippine Rugby Football Union are set to crown the 2016 SPI League champions this weekend at Nomads Sports Club, Paranaque.

The growing local rugby scene will be showcased this weekend through three Men’s Divisions and one Women’s Division. The Alabang Eagles Rugby Club are strong favorites after their teams in each division secured a place in the finals, a remarkable achievement. The Manila Nomads will look to their experienced expatriate players to dominate the Cup Competition final playing an in-form Alabang Eagles team led by team captain and Philippine Volcano Timothy Bwehehi. Fellow Philippine Volcano Lito Ramirez will be looked at for MVP honors as his performances for the CBRE Makati Mavericks have secured the Mavericks a spot in the Plate Final. Ramirez recently made news after a story following his life as an orphan to becoming the first player for the PRFUs grassroots foundation program to play international rugby for the Philippine Volcanoes, made it to a popular New Zealand news website. 

Philippine rugby has made great strides on the domestic front this year as shown by its securing of Seapac Philippines Inc. as the league’s major sponsor and fielding 13 local teams in four divisions. Rugby continues to be one of the fastest growing sports in the Asian Region and the world, which will fueled further by Rugby 7s debut in the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio as well as Japan’s hosting of the 2019 Rugby World Cup, a first for any Asian nation.

The finals of the 2016 SPI 15s League take place this Saturday June 4 from 12.00pm at Nomads Sports Club, Parañaque City

The 2016 SPI 15s Finals will be played this coming Saturday on June 4 at Nomads Sports Club, Paranaque. Kick off for semi final 1 in the Bowl Division is 1.00pm with the grand final for the Cup Division starting at 4.30pm

Below is the updated points table leading up to Grand Final