The Philippine Rugby Football Union (PRFU) have opened the doors to coaching and developing the sport of Rugby Union at Filipino Universities. They held the inaugural IRB Level 1 Coaches’ Course at the University of Makati (UMAK) campus last week. 

Fifteen UMAK PE staff members and three University Sports Directors attended the Certificate Course that was conducted by PRFU National team coach, Matt Cullen. The IRB Level 1 Course is an introductory course for all coaches to learn about the Sport of Rugby Union and how to coach this new sport in their PE classes or afterschool clubs. The PRFU are aiming at growing the sport of Rugby Union in the Philippines and will be running similar Internationally Accredited Courses at other Universities in the coming months with a vision of one day beginning a Universities Rugby Union League.

Rugby 7s is now played at the South East Asian and Asian Games and will be reintroduced to the Olympics in 2016. As part of this build up, the Philippines will be creating strong teams in both Men’s and Women’s divisions and Coach Cullen states that “Rugby 7s is the perfect game for the Filipinos to play, you have to be fast, agile, have good hand-eye coordination and be able to play as a team. Rugby 7s is a game that anyone with sporting ability can play, unlike 15s, you don’t need to be big and strong. Speed and agility are essential.” He believes if we start with Universities in 2011, that by 2016 Olympics we could have a very competitive National Men’s and Women’s  7s teams competing for places at the Olympics.


The program that PRFU are running at the University of Makati is to be introduced in four phases:

1. IRB and Rugby Ready coaching Certificate Courses for PE Teachers & Students
2. Touch Rugby in PE classes and club sports
3. Start a Rugby 7s University Club
4. Trial & select players for the National u18, u20 and Men’s and Women’s Teams

Ultimately the PRFU would also like to run a separate Universities Rugby 7s league and involve up to 10 major universities, this would then allow students the opportunity to learn a new sport and also strive to represent their country in Rugby 7s at SEA, Asian and Olympic Games.

The PRFU are happy to provide Coaches, Resources and Kit to any University programs that would like to start Rugby 7s or Touch Rugby as part of their sports programs. You can contact Matt Cullen at the PRFU office on 02 706 4668 or mattcullen67@hotmail to find out how the PRFU can support and help your University Sport Programs grow and give students a chance at succeeding in a new sport called Rugby Union.