Manila hosts seventh leg of Rugby World 2019 Trophy

Members of the Philippine Volcanoes rugby team joined the seventh leg of the Rugby World Cup 2019 Trophy Tour for a spectacular start to the action in Manila with a climb up Taal Volcano.

Accompanied by children from local rugby development programs, the Volcanoes used the arrival of the Webb Ellis Cup to inspire the next generation of players in a uniquely Filipino location – the world’s smallest active volcano.

Engaging young players forms a central theme of the Tour program, with youth development players in the Philippines getting the opportunity to get up close and personal with rugby’s greatest prize. The coveted piece of silverware is on an 18-month tour in the lead up to Asia’s first ever Rugby World Cup, to be held in Japan in 2019.

The Get Into Rugby program is part of World Rugby’s strategy to grow the game globally in partnership with member regions and unions, aiming to encourage players of all ages to Try, Play and Stay in rugby. As of the end of November 2017, Asia Rugby boasted over 680,000 Get Into Rugby participants, the most of any region, with 36 percent of participants female, reaffirming the strong potential for rugby’s growth in this youthful region of the world.

From Manila the Rugby World Cup 2019 Trophy Tour goes to India before heading to Japan for Rugby World Cup 2019 which takes place from Sept 20-Nov. 2, 2019. More than 1.5 million ticket applications to the Rugby World Cup have already been received, organizers said.

Further information on how to purchase tickets can be found at www.rugbyworldcup.com/tickets.

PHOTO COURTESY OF JEOFFREY MAITEM Junior players from development clubs and foundations of the Philippine Rugby Football Union pose with the Webb Ellis Cup (also inset) as part of a visit to Taal Volcano during day one of the Rugby World Cup 2019 Trophy Tour last week in Manila.