Volcanoes out to lure more Filipinos into rugby sevens

SINGAPORE—The Philippine men’s rugby sevens team is hoping that its success at the 2015 Southeast Asian Games here will prop up the Filipinos’ interest in the sport.

Popularly known back home as the Volcanoes, the newly crowned kings of the biennial Games expressed optimism that rugby sevens will catch on among Filipinos because of its similarity to their favorite pastime, basketball.

“Rugby sevens requires speed, agility, coordination and teamwork,” said Philippine Rugby Football Union director Matt Cullen Monday, the morning after the men’s team swept the competition for the gold medal.

The Volcanoes bagged the silver when rugby sevens was last held in the 2007 SEA Games in Nakhon Rathchasima, Thailand.

The women’s team, seeing action for the first time, settled for the bronze.

The Volcanoes are looking at qualifying for the Olympics, but first, they wanted the seven-a-side event to gain ground at home.

Cullen said they have organized club competitions involving rugby sevens groups in Metro Manila, Pampanga, Laguna, Cagayan de Oro, Albay, Davao and Cebu.

“We are working on having television coverage for our tournaments,” said Cullen.