Volcanoes Start Unions Cup Campaign with Dominant 74–0 Win Over Laos

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.

Kyle Westbrook dives over for his first Volcanoes try, sealing the Philippines' 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.

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