The Philippine Volcanoes proved that they are a force to reckon with after their outstanding performance at the recent Asian Men’s 7s Championships held at the Yuanshen Stadium in Shanghai, China.
The Volcanoes defeated the United Arab Emirates 26-7, Thailand 22-0, and top-ranked South Korea 19-14, elevating their overall rank from 10th to 7th in the Asian Rugby League.
The Volcanoes’ win over South Korea, who won the Shanghai 7s last year, was considered to be one of the biggest upsets of the tournament, which was participated in by twelve countries in Asia. Justin Coveney, who is known as the “flying jeepney” in the team, was one of the powerful forces behind the team’s’ momentous victory. Playing inside center, Coveney scored the 2 match winner points which shocked last year’s champs.
“Our win in the Shanghai 7s, especially against South Korea, gave us a new level of confidence as we compete in the Borneo 7s this month. We are thankful for the support that Filipinos have thrown behind us, as well as Philippine companies who believed in our capacity to make Rugby an established Philippine sport,” said Matt Cullen, team coach of the Philippine Volcanoes. Leading telecommunications provider Globe Telecom supports the Philippine Volcanoes by helping the team raise awareness on the sport.
“We congratulate the Philippine Volcanoes for a great finish and beating top contender South Korea in the Shanghai 7s. We are optimistic that they will sustain the momentum in the Borneo 7s as well as in their future games. Globe is proud to throw our support behind the Volcanoes and join them in making Rugby a certified Filipino sport,” said Ernest Cu, Globe President and CEO.
In photo are the Philippine Volcanoes composed of Jake Letts, Christopher Hitch, Rupert Zappia, Christopher Everingham, Kenneth Mitchell Stern, Mark Chatting, Harry Morris, Jon Morales, John Odulio, Justin Coveney, Oliver Saunders, and Andrew Wolfe together with (center) Globe President and CEO Ernest Cu and PRFU Secretary General Rick Santos during a send-off and jersey turnover ceremony organized by Globe.
