It was at the inaugural Clark International 9s tournament in October 2012 when these groups of local Filipino Rugby League enthusiasts were last seen together.
Nine months from their first experience of Rugby League, graduates of the Maritime Academy of Asia & the Pacific (MAAP) ~ the Alumni Warriors; the Merchant Marine cadets of Anscor Swire Ship Management Corporation; and the senior high school students of Don Bosco Technical Institute Makati (DBTI), got together again on the 26th of July for the 2013 Rugby League run at the SM Mall of Asia, in Bayshore Ave. Pasay City.
Being Merchant Marines, it is difficult to get these groups together because more often than not, they are out at sea on merchant ships for up to 9 months. It was not an easy job for MAAP graduate BJ Brutus Echano and Philippine National Rugby League (PNRL) board member Rick Hartley to organise such an event.
The PNRL would also like to thank the management of Hooters Bar in Pasay City, who has supported the work of the PNRL since October 2012.
This much-needed training run came at the right time for MAAP. being the first All Filipino Rugby Union team formed in 2002 and first local team to play Rugby League in 2012. They are now preparing for the Clark Rugby League International 9s scheduled on the 19th of October this year.
The Alumni Warriors of MAAP, the cadets of Anscor Swire Ship Management Corporation, the cadets of the Philippine Merchant Marine Academy from San Narciso, Zambales, and the cadets of Wärtsilä Subic Inc. as well as the Senior High School students of DBTI will compete in either the full contact Rugby League or touch tournaments in Clark City on October 19.
They will be joined by two teams of Filipino-Australians and local Filipinos being formed by PNRL board members Rene Payne with the Cebu City Chiefs and Michael Holt with the Clark City Crusaders.
It is also hoped that the Batangas Warriors will participate in the league. They are actually a group of Papua New Guinea (PNG) University students — Filipinos who grew up in PNG and local Filipinos studying at local Universities in the province of Batangas.
For local Filipinos wanting to try out Rugby League in Manila, please visit the PNRL Facebook page where you can access on our website www.pnrlf.com. You will find details of the training sessions at the SM Mall of Asia, in Bayshore Ave. Pasay City.