Second-Half Surge Propels Philippine Volcanoes Past Singapore in Unions Cup Semifinal

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.

Michael Blatteis dives in for a brilliant try to cap off an incredible coast-to-coast run.

Closing It Out

In the 70th minute, the Volcanoes put the finishing touches on their masterclass. After drawing another penalty, Curtis stepped up to the tee one last time, calmly slotting the penalty goal to bring his personal tally to 13 points on the day.

Curtis strikes a late penalty goal through the uprights, locking in a decisive 33–10 win for the Volcanoes.

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.

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