 by Mark Villamora The Philippine Volcanoes made history once again by securing the championship in their debut at the 2025 Unions Cup Finals, defeating Thailand 23–6 at the Kaohsiung National Stadium in Taiwan. This marks a major comeback for the Philippine Volcanoes 15s men’s team after six years, following the pandemic. “I couldn’t be prouder of these players,” said Ada Milby, President of the Philippine Rugby Football Union. “They’ve shown incredible resilience and unity after such a long gap in test matches, and to come back with a championship — that says everything about the heart of this team and the future of Philippine rugby.” The last international tournament for the Volcanoes 15s was the 2019 Asia Rugby Championship Division 1, where they also won gold. Some players from this year’s roster were also part of the 7s team that made history by winning double gold at the Asia Rugby Trophy Sevens in Nepal. The finals opened with an intense first 15-minute rally, until Ned Ralph Plarizan Stephenson scored the first try of the match, putting the team ahead 5–0. The first half ended with a close 8–6 lead for the Philippines, with Kai Kristian Ledesma Stroem contributing through a successful penalty kick. The second half mirrored the intensity, with another 15-minute rally before James Halasan Ryan scored a try, followed by a conversion from Stroem, pushing the lead to 18–6. Stephenson added another try in the final 10 minutes, stretching the lead to 23–6 and securing the Philippine Volcanoes’ title as the 2025 Unions Cup Champions.  Ned Stephenson dives over the corner for his second try in the final 10 minutes, sealing the Volcanoes’ 23–6 championship victory over Thailand. Photo by 吳大川. “It was an unreal feeling. Flooded with emotions, proud and happy to be part of this special group that I can call my kapatids (brothers),” said Stephenson when asked about the moment the final whistle blew. “Full credit to the boys for showing puso (heart) throughout the entire game.” Captain Stroem shared his thoughts on leading the team through the pressure of the final match: “There were no real major strategy or game plan changes for the final match — it was just about executing to a higher standard and maintaining our discipline. We drove that home to the boys, and I think all of the boys being on the same page is ultimately what set us apart in that final.” Head Coach Josh Torres Sutcliffe added, “The boys stayed connected and did the small things well. They worked hard for each other. The defensive effort was immense, with many outstanding repeat efforts to shut down threatening Thai attacks.” Match Honors:
 Best Back Patrice Ortiz Olivier leads the charge while being backed up by none other than Man of the Match Hamish Flores Seddon. Photo by RugbyAsia 247. The 2025 Unions Cup Original Playing Jersey is also available at PRFU Shop, along with new tee sets, tank tops, caps, and backpacks: https://www.philippines.rugby/shop.html
The Philippine Volcanoes' men’s and women’s teams will have a busy second half of 2025 as they return to Division 1 of the Asia Rugby Sevens Series, with Leg 1 to be held on September 20–21 in China and Leg 2 on October 18–19 in Sri Lanka, followed by the Southeast Asian (SEA) Games in Thailand this December. For more highlights and behind-the-scenes content, follow @philippinerugby on social media. Photo Credits: Rugby Asia 24/7 About the Philippine Rugby Football Union The Philippine Rugby Football Union (PRFU) is the governing body for the sport of rugby in the Philippines. Established in 1998, the PRFU is dedicated to the development and promotion of rugby across the country, from grassroots to elite levels. It oversees various programs, competitions, and national teams, with the aim of making rugby a major sport in the Philippines. For inquiries, please contact: [email protected] Comments are closed.
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