Big Bang! The liveblog of the Philippines v. Hong Kong rugby match starts at 1400hrs on Saturday, April 16
Fourth quarter try and conversion by the Philippines in their practice match with HK. In the chaos I couldn’t tell who crossed the goal line with the ball, but it looks like everyone did it.
Stay tuned for all the running, kicking, tackling, scrumming, rucking, mauling and scoring, live from the Nomads Sports Club on Saturday afternoon.
Plus sidelights, chats with the fabulous mothers of the Philippine Volcanoes, sightings, pointless anecdotes, plenty of speculation, and full red carpet green grass coverage (The Lettsies are wearing…shorts! The Zappias…short shorts! What’s Oliver wearing could they be…shorts?!). And don’t forget the post-match interviews.
Brewhuh23, The Chronicler of Boredom and I will be covering the match, so if you can’t haul yourself to Paranaque to see it live, you’ll still hear us shrieking in your ears (Your eyes actually, with lots of exclamation points!!!).
Our coverage of the Philippines-Hong Kong test match is brought to you by Globe. Enjoy Your Globe Your Way.
* * * * *
1413. On our way to Nomads. It’s an adventure! as none of us have been to the place in our lives. My invisible border for “Metro Manila” is Magallanes.
We had lunch with Mr and Mrs Saunders, parents of The Three, and we learned among other things that Matt and Ben cut each other’s hair. Rugby and hairdressing!
On a more serious note we learned that in Australia where the Saunderses live, professional rugby players must be eligible to play for the Australian national men’s team the Wallabies. If you play for another country’s national team, you cannot become a professional rugby player in Oz. So Ben has to choose between a pro rugby career in Oz and staying with the Philippine Volcanoes. Ben has been on our national men’s team since he was 15; he turned 18 recently. He has to reach a decision before the A5N Division 1 tournament in May.
1530. We’re off. First possession to the Philippines.
Scrum. We hear Jake Letts yelling instructions. Jake is rocking the helmet. That has no bearing on anything. (Nor does the fact that Jake, Chris Everingham, Kenny Stern and nine other Volcanoes will be appearing in a Bench calendar.)
Collapsed scrum. HK gets penalty, decides on a lineout.
HK playing very aggressively. Drops the ball.
1532. HK wins the lineout. A tortoise forms. (History geek: Testudo!) Philippines playing heavy defense.
Try to HK, 5-0. Number 9 scored, conversion unsuccessful.
We are sitting next to the Zobels, which would be social-climbing if we were not in a horizontal row.
The heat is punishing. It’s “You can boil an egg” hot, and in the absence of an egg my brain is sizzling. Penalty to the Philippines. Number 10 Oliver Saunders kicks it in! 3-5, Philippines.
1538. Lineout. HK grabs it, shows off some fancy passing, good tackle by the Volcanoes!
Our number 15 Michael Letts kicks it out. Another lineout. HK gets it and they’re running. Stop-start, constant tackling. HK scores to make it 3-10. No conversion.
Scrum! Jake gets but is promptly flattened by hippopotami.
If we could just get hold of the ball we could really do something.
I need a very very very cold beer, the brain overheating in this weather. My boiling head says this is the hottest day of the year so far.
Our defense is strong but we need to get the damn ball.
Another try to HK, score is 3-15, Philippines. We can’t be defending all the time, it’s sucking all our energy.
1552. We are halfway through the first half, so far try-less.
Kenny Stern with a breakaway! but steps outside the line.
The Volcanoes keep kicking the ball out and should perhaps try running with it. True they may be flattened but we could try it.
So far Hong Kong has dictated and the Philippines is starved for possession.
Sounds like the world of finance.
Another try to HK. 3-20, Philippines. Converted, 3-22.
The loneliness of the fullback: captain Michael Letts is literally the only guy by the goal, the last line of defense. Who’s he going to stop when the ball-carrier just passes it to the next guy who passes it to the next guy?
This is what happens. A HK player is running with the ball. Two or three Filipino players jump him, but before he goes down he passes to a teammate. And even if two or three Filipino players jump him too, there’s always another HK player open and anticipating the pass. It’s the kind of flow that is usually achieved by constantly playing together and developing similar thought patterns.
3-27 HK. I am officially in pain, but not nearly as much pain as our guys. Go Volcanoes!!! We fear the audience is too polite, but Brewhuh turns up the volume.
Bit disconcerting to hear Jaime Augusto Zobel yelling “Go Jaime! (Urquijo)”
Try converted, 3-29 HK.
The opposition is so disciplined and organized. When someone has the ball a support crew fans out behind him so there’s always someone to pass to wherever he veers. On the few occasions the Philippines has possession the ball-carrier is tackled and he has no one to pass to.
HK number 10 Keith Robinson zips to the goal, 3-34. Converted for 3-36.
1609. “It’s like winding a clock.” How HK works.
Essentially it’s a wrestling match in front of their goal line.
Halftime.
Interesting bit: Hong Kong practises together every night of the week. They’ve developed the telepathy. Hopefully they’ll be a bit tired in the second half.
1620. Second half.
3-41 HK. No conversion. Look on the bright side. I have a tan.
Ok. Scrum. HK grabs it and they’re off and running, but they’re stopped. Wrestling wresting wrestling, and the HK fullback runs the ball past the line. 3-46. Converted by their captain Tom McColl, 3-48.
Two offsides for HK. Okay I’m taking a few minutes off to scream lungs out for the Philippines.
You gotta love number 8 Patrice Olivier, his legs start where most people’s necks do. He’s open, he’s gesturing for the ball, but they can’t get it to him. “Give it to the Frenchman!” yells Peter Lawrence of the PRFU.
“Patrice, do something special!” Mrs. Zappia calls. “Yeah, do something French!” Peter adds.
Mrs. Saunders says, “Nice legs, Patrice!”
Fantastic defense from the Volcanoes foils yet another HK try.
Brewhuh: Omg Mark Zambrano of GMA News is here! (fixes hair, looks around for reflective surface)
So much energy expended by the Volcanoes in keeping HK from the goal. Every inch is fought for but HK scores anyway, 3-53.
If we could just get one try. One try.
Good tackle by number 22 Ned Stephenson! And Jake just brought down someone three times his size, but the guy passed as he went down and it’s another HK try. 3-58 Philippines. Converted for 3-60.
“It’s like starting a golf game with a double bogey.” Rich old guy joke, everyone. (Who smokes cigars in this heat??)
The HK forwards make a testudo that takes the ball across the line for 3-65. Make that 3-67.
“Come on boys, dig deep!” says Gaz in comments. Gareth Holgate we’ve decided to blame this on you!!!
Oh is it 3-74 already? It’s officially a massacre. We just want one try, guys. One try.
HK substitution due to injury.
1704. Not much time left. A pile-up right at our feet.
Number 12 Justin Coveney gets it but when he goes down the ball is plucked away. Roll Jeep, roll the other way!
Oliver has an ugly gash on his leg from the artificial grass at the practice match.
OLIVER SAUNDERS FINDS THE GAP RUNS THROUGH AND SCORES A TRY! with several HK players clinging to him.
For a second we thought number 1 Austin Dacanay was going to kick in the conversion. But Ollie converts his own try, saving us from a bagel, 10-74.
And we’re done. Hong Kong is off to Kazakhstan for the Asian Top 5 tournament, the Philippines to Korea next month for the Division 1 tournament.
“Thank you for giving birth to our ten points,” we told Mrs. Saunders.
“There are fifteen guys on the team and they all worked for those points,” Mr. Saunders reminded us.
“Nevertheless your son is a Beast.”
Thank you to the two people who joined our liveblog! We’ll be back with more team coverage and mom interviews.
Live coverage of the Philippines-Hong Kong test match was brought to you by Globe. Enjoy Your Globe. Your Way.
April 16th, 2011 at 15:39
hey! just wanted to say ur website has been a massive help to me- I have been trying to find somewhere to find out about the live score of the HK-PHIL game all day! Keep an eye out for number 10 thats my boy!!!
April 16th, 2011 at 16:49
Thank you! We’re dying here from the heat and the game.
April 16th, 2011 at 16:59
Come on boys dig deep!
April 16th, 2011 at 17:04
who was injured?
April 16th, 2011 at 17:42
alyssajane: You mean Keith Robertson? He’s fine. Killed us in fact haha. Thanks for tuning in!
April 16th, 2011 at 20:09
Thanks very much for this, couldn’t get a decent internet connection from where I was last April 14th. Also, unti-unti ko nang naiintindihan ang rules.
April 16th, 2011 at 20:14
Nyak, sorry for the mix up, April 14th was the practice. I meant today, no good internet connection.
April 16th, 2011 at 23:28
just came from the park where we looked at tulips and chased two kids for half a day. this coverage is the next best thing to being there, thanks! incidentally, the two kids who were with us are half filipino and I planted the idea on the british dad that maybe his son could be rugby player someday.. way too much energy, even for a 3-year-old..
April 17th, 2011 at 12:43
I’m glad that this match was covered by GMA.
http://www.gmanews.tv/video/77960/24oras-phl-volcanoes-gumagawa-ng-pangalan-sa-larong-rugby
April 17th, 2011 at 12:50
^^ Oops! Not the match, but the team. There’s another coverage just shown a while ago on their news channel, with interviews with the coaches of both teams and Keith Robertson.
April 17th, 2011 at 14:41
Thanks again for inviting me,Jessica. Had a blast!
I never thought I was cheering that loudly LOL! It’s been awhile since I last cheered for a nation team and it was all worth it.
And about Mark Zambrano, hihi,ang payat niya pala in person. Hi Mark! *tuckshairunderherear*
April 17th, 2011 at 19:25
Oops sorry, that was suppose to be national team :)
April 18th, 2011 at 22:11
Wish I could play that =|