Volcanoes repeat as Unions Cup champions

By Francis Allan L. Angelo

NONTHABURI, Thailand – The Philippine Men’s Volcanoes successfully defended their Unions Cup crown after defeating Malaysia, 39–18, in the final Saturday at Nonthaburi Provincial Stadium to complete an unbeaten campaign and become back-to-back champions.

The title came a year after the Volcanoes captured the inaugural Unions Cup in Kaohsiung, Taiwan, in 2025, cementing the Philippines as the tournament’s first repeat champion.

The Volcanoes opened their title defense with a dominant 74–0 victory over Laos before beating Singapore, 33–10, to arrange another championship showdown with Malaysia.

For head coach Josh Sutcliffe, however, the achievement extended beyond the final score.

“It doesn’t matter where you were born. What matters is who you represent,” Sutcliffe said. “Every player who wears this jersey chooses to represent the Philippines, and that’s something we never take for granted.”

Sutcliffe said the philosophy has become the foundation of the national program by bringing together players from different backgrounds with one shared purpose of representing the Philippines.

The coach said the team’s culture also revolves around family and humility.

“We always talk about family,” he said. “Stay humble, work hard and always put the team first. That’s what this group has done from day one.”

Malaysia challenged the defending champions from the opening whistle.

James Ryan Halasan put the Philippines on the scoreboard five minutes into the match after powering over from close range.

Ryan Curtis converted the try to give the Volcanoes an early 7–0 advantage.

Malaysia answered with penalties and tries to briefly seize momentum.

Curtis trimmed the deficit with a penalty before Edlen Hernandez crossed over just before halftime following a flowing passing sequence initiated by Jason Schirmer.

The late try sent both teams into the break tied at 15–15.

The Philippines took control after halftime.

Richard Lewis scored shortly after the restart before Curtis added the conversion to restore the Volcanoes’ lead.

Curtis later extended the advantage with another penalty kick.

Malaysia threatened to rally before the Volcanoes produced the decisive play of the match.

Captain Kai Stroem launched a well-weighted kick that Vince Young chased down before quickly releasing Ned Stephenson.

Stephenson found Charles Warren, who finished the move with a try in the corner to stretch the Philippine lead.

Connor Browne added another late try as Curtis maintained a flawless performance from the kicking tee to seal the 39–18 victory.

Curtis played a central role throughout the tournament by controlling field position and consistently converting scoring opportunities under pressure.

The championship also capped a memorable campaign for Philippine rugby.

Earlier in the tournament, seven Volcanoes players were selected to the prestigious Asia Rugby Barbarians, highlighting the growing recognition earned by the Philippine men’s program across the region.

Despite the individual honors, the team’s focus remained on defending its Unions Cup title.

The latest championship marked another milestone for a national program that continues to compete despite limited resources.

Many Volcanoes players balance full-time careers and family responsibilities while representing the Philippines in international competition, often relying on community support to sustain the program.

The Philippines will now turn its attention to hosting the 2027 Unions Cup, marking the first time the regional rugby tournament will be staged on Philippine soil.

For Sutcliffe, the title reflected the team’s commitment to its values rather than individual accomplishments.

“We’ll celebrate this, but our values don’t change,” he said. “Stay humble, look after each other and keep representing the Philippines the right way.”

The Volcanoes finished the tournament undefeated and successfully retained the championship, reinforcing their status as one of Southeast Asia’s leading rugby nations.