PRFU Expands Its International Partnerships to North Shore Rugby Club 

The PRFU (Philippines Rugby Football Union) has added New Zealand’s 2021 North Harbour Premiership Champions North Shore Rugby Club as an international partner to develop current and future Philippine Rugby players.

This follows the announcement in July 2021 from the PRFU to secure more rugby talent outside of the countries’ homeland. The Union has formally entered into an agreement with the Brothers Rugby Club from Brisbane, Australia, while the Volcanoes Rugby Development team will play tournaments in the UK in 2021.

The Development team next head into the Cheltenham 7s in the UK on July 31 2021. The national development side featured seven capped national players and six new squad members in the previous tournament and will have a six new squad members play at Cheltenham.

PRFU and North Shore Rugby Club

Former National 7s PRFU Coach Frano Botica will support the Union’s partnership in New Zealand. The New Zealand All Black coached the Philippines Men’s sevens team at the Asia Sevens Series and qualified for the World Sevens Series as well as picking up the SEA Games gold in 2019.

Jake Letts CEO of Philippine Rugby said “Frano, along with his team, helped forge a strong period for our national men’s sevens program, we finished as high as third in Asia, played at the Hong Kong Sevens via the Qualifier as well as winning Gold at the Southeast Asian Games.”

Botica added: “It’s great for both Philippine Rugby and any Filipinos living in Auckland to have access to a national program such as the Volcanoes in their own backyard.

The Coleman brothers of our club are of Philippine heritage, all are skilled Rugby players and seeing them represent both North Shore and the Philippines has been special. Donald was also recently selected in North Harbour’s NPC team which shows you the calibre of players Philippine Rugby has around the country” said a statement from the PRFU.

The PRFU has already tapped into heritage players living in NZ, with Donald, Ryan Reyes Howe, Joe Palabay Dawson, Nick Gaffud Robertson, Simon Gabion Sheehan and David Robinson-Polkey all recruited.

Photo Credit: PRFU – Former National 7s PRFU Coach Frano Botica

On Sunday, August 29 2021, North Shore Rugby Football Club will be open to all Filipino players based in Auckland and across New Zealand.

Philippine Rugby aims to formalise Rugby partnerships globally, not only in Australia & New Zealand but also across Asia in Singapore, Japan, Hong Kong, UAE, Europe, the USA and Canada. “We hope to unearth further talent with this partnership” Letts added.

Asian Rugby Tournaments

• Bangkok International Rugby Sevens 2021.
• Asia Rugby Sevens Trophy 2021.
• Will there be Rugby Sevens at the 2021 or 2023 SEA Games?
• Phuket International Rugby Tens 2021.