Volcanoes eye strong World Cup showing

THE PHILIPPINE Volcanoes hope to translate to victories some good early impressions as they kicked off their campaign in the Rugby World Cup Sevens late Friday in Moscow.

National team coach Al Caravelli and skipper Michael Letts said they’re “quietly confident the Philippines can make its mark” in the premier tournament where the country got grouped in Pool C with fancied Kenya, Samoa and Zimbabwe.

The Volcanoes, whose training in the Olympic Village included a practice game with the famous New Zealand All Black 7s early this week, drew praises from International Rugby Board chair Bernard Lapasset and New Zealand coach Gordon Tietjans.

Noting that “anything can happen in sevens rugby,” Tietjans said he was “suitably impressed” with the Philippine crew.

The Volcanoes were battling Kenya at 3:22 p.m. Friday (7:22 p.m. Philippine time), before taking on Samoa on Saturday morning and Zimbabwe later in the afternoon.

A total of 40 men and women’s teams from 28 nations are vying for the crown of the Rugby Sevens, which will debut as an official sport in the 2016 Olympics.

“The training run against the mighty All Blacks was a perfect start and exactly what the Volcanoes needed to gauge the level of competition and intensity at the 2013 RWC,” said Caravelli.

The Volcanoes’ stint marks the first time in over 50 years that the Philippines competed in the World Cup of any team sport.  Jasmine W. Payo