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January 9, 2006

Rugby in Cebu, January 28-29

The Cebu City Rugby Club is organizing the first Cebu Rugby 10s tournament over the weekend of January 28-29, with teams from Manila, Bataan and Angeles City joining the fledgling Cebu rugby squad. Information: David Smith, phone [6332] 233 0211, email David Smith. david@creativenations.com

http://www.nomadsrugby.com/

BIRTH OF A NEW RUGBY TEAM IN THE PHILIPPINES CEBU CITY RFC

A report on the first game of rugby in Cebu!!

At last, myself, Damien Alinson and Rogier Boks managed to get our balls out at the weekend and the result was a good one.

We somehow accumulated 14 campaigners for the first touch rugby session of Cebu City RFC (see attached Club Crest). The game took on a life of its own and is obviously the talk of the town. The fittest man on the pitch Rob "Iron man" Greville pulled a hamstring and was our first recorded injury (get well soon Rob) but his countryman Kiwi Andrew Sinclair ran in the first try in CCRFC history. AFL representative Drew McNiven showed sterling form and pace and South African Ross McCarthy spent most of the game in mid-air, diving is obviously his forte as he dived for touches and as soon as he was within fifteen yards of the line. Tim O?Donnel made good use of the Subs bench and was the first man in CCRFC history to take himself of the pitch. All in all massive potential for good fun and the occasional cardiac event.

More importantly we had three Filipinos turn out for the first session, Jun an environmental Lawyer, Rayner who is in charge of the Cebu Flag football league (an instant convert to throwing the ball backwards) and Paul who could run like a whippet and allowed me to do a lot of standing around waiting for the game to come back to me, they all thought it was a blast, all three showed great ability and gamesmanship, we thank them for coming along and sincerely hope they will be a major part of Cebu?s Rugby playing future.

We have keen hopes to bring the game to schools and colleges around the City. And we already have two Coaches keen to lend their time. Dave Maynard who is a Welsh seventh Dan Black belt in Karate and Propping, and Bollie Bolton, a South African card carrying coach guaranteed to open and close the bar ( Bollie, sorry I meant lift the bar in terms of sporting achievement).

The Marriot hotel, courtesy of GM and CCRFC member Karl Hudson, are the first to jump into the sponsorship fray offering their showers and pool for apres rugby cleanup and relaxation(in that order hopefully) and then more importantly the Php180 drink all you can draft beer . The double cheese, bacon and egg burger also helped. Karl has also offered to buy us a set of flags and help us locate a permanent home pitch.

Thank you for the initial support from the PRFU and the balls and IRB materials you sent ? they will be put to good use.

More news soon

Cheers

Dave Smith

For more info contact

Cebu City RFC, David Smith
E-mail Address(es):
david@creativenations.com

Cebu City RFC, Damien Allison
E-mail Address(es):
dallison@fitnessfirst.com.ph
Cebu City RFC, Rogier Boks