The Philippine Rugby 7’s Team is quietly confident, as they face D-Day against Malaysia in a semi-final game (2.40pm Thailand Time) to decide who will go through to the Gold Medal match.  In their last game of the pool rounds against Cambodia yesterday, the “Son’s of Lapu Lapu” produced a comprehensive seven try victory (for 43 nil score), which Assistant Coach Alan MacDonald described as “the first time the boys were able to put into action what they have been practicing in training, they finally were able to play the way we wanted“.  This is should serve as a warning that the Philippine Volcanoes still has significant room for improvement and has still yet to show its full potential.

 Press Release - Volcanoes quietly confident as they face do-or-die Semi (570.84 kB)

At the end of the Pool Rounds yesterday the Philippines were ranked 4th with 2 wins (against Cambodia and Laos) and 3 losses (against Malaysia, Thailand and Singapore).  However, it was only in the game yesterday against Thailand that the Philippines were out performed, kept scoreless for the first time in the tournament.  Against Semi-Final opponents Malaysia, the Philippines went narrowly down by 5 points (17 - 12) in a tough physical encounter.

Should the Volcanoes beat the Malaysians, they will face the winner of the 2nd ranked Thailand vs 3rd ranked Singapore match.  This is a game the hosts are heavily favoured to win.

The Philippine Coaching team is quietly confident and the whole camp is very relaxed knowing that they still have shown everything they have up their sleeve.  So with the team starting to really gel the Philippines know they have what it takes to upset the number 1 ranked Malaysians and reverse the close pool round loss.

What this all means is that we are in for some very exciting and close semi-finals, which not much separating the top four teams.