THE PHILIPPINE Volcanoes absorbed a heavy 0-50 loss to powerhouse Japan Sunday night and ended their inaugural Rugby World Cup Sevens campaign without a win in Moscow.
After dropping their first three group games, including against Kenya and Samoa, the Volcanoes were relegated to a quarterfinal duel with Japan for the Bowl.
Superior on all fronts, the Japanese hardly gave the Filipinos an inch in their all-Asian clash, dashing hopes of a stunning reversal.
“It was a tough lesson first-up for us,” said PH captain Michael Letts. “We knew it would be hard … but it can only get better from here.”
Japan claimed bragging rights as the top Asian team but its effort to put the icing on the cake was stymied by Russia which beat Japan, 29-5, in the Bowl final. Cedelf P. Tupas