Philippine Rugby to crown 2016 SPI league champions

Philippine Volcano and Maverick Lito Ramirez will be looking for another strong performance for the CBRE Makati Mavericks this weekend as they prepare to take on the Alabang Ibons in the grand final 

​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

About SPI 15s League

The SPI 15s League is the local rugby competition held in conjunction with the Philippine Rugby Football Union sponsored by Seapac Philippines Inc. The competition model is the equivalent to the Football Alliance’s partnership with the United Football Clubs Association more commonly known as the UFL. The 2016 SPI 15s League is contested over 6 rounds of competition with a grand final to determine the final placing’s for the calendar year. Local teams competing in the league come from all areas in both metro Manila and regional cities across the country including Alabang, Quezon City, Subic, Clark and Albay.