HSBC Asian 5 Nations Division Tournaments 2012/13 Division I (Sri Lanka, Philippines, Chinese Taipei, Singapore) For the first time, division one was held in a round-robin format. All games were played in Manila, Philippines on April 14 - 21, 2012. The Philippines was promoted to the main division in 2013, while Singapore was relegated to division II for 2013. Teams Code P W D L PF PA PD BNS PTS Philippines (PHI) 3 3 0 0 99 36 +63 3 18 Sri Lanka (SRI) 3 2 1 0 89 36 +53 2 12 Chinese Taipei (TPE) 3 1 2 0 69 94 -25 1 6 Singapore (SIN) 3 0 3 0 51 114 -64 1 1
2012 Asian 5 Nations Elite Tournament Japan 106 - 3 UAE UAE 46 - 31 Uzbekistan Korea Republic 8 - 52 Japan
2012 Asian 5 Nations Division 4 Tournament Qatar is promoted to Division 3 Preliminary: Jordan 19-25 Lebanon Qatar 74-13 Uzbekistan Third-place: Jordan 19-15 Uzbekistan Championship Lebanon 0-67 Qatar
I think Japan will still be the "unbeatable one" this year. But I'm rooting for my team Philippines next year, as I feel they might be the surprise package of the batch.
Asian5Nations Elite Div final rankings: 1.Japan 2.Korea Republic 3.Hong Kong 4.UAE 5.Kazakhstan (relegated to Div 1 in 2013)
The Philippines has been a rising side and is second to Japan on being unbeaten in the past few years. They are relatively a very young team, and is composed of mainly Filipino-heritage players based in Australia, New Zealand, England, Wales, France and the U.S. While the sport isn't popular and isn't played extensively in the country, it has gained so much attention due to their winning runs. They don't receive much government support as like any other national teams are, however, they receive adequate support from the private sector. Many analysts have been saying the Philippines could be a dark horse competitor for next year's Asian 5 Nations Elite tournament, and can definitely give Japan a run for its money. Let's see then.
THE Philippine Rugby Football Union will host Division 1 of the Asian Rugby Championship on May 6 and 9 at the Philippine Stadium in Bulacan. The ARC, formerly known as the Asian 5 Nations, is Asia’s premier competition for Rugby Union. The Philippine Volcanoes, ranked fourth in Asia, are the top-ranked team in Division 1, followed by Sri Lanka, Kazakhstan and Singapore. The event kicks off on May 6 with the Sri Lanka battling Kazakhstan at 2 p.m. and the Philippines taking on Singapore at 4 p.m. May 9 will pit the opening-day losers in a battle for third place at 4 p.m. and the opening-day winners batting for the title. “We’re very excited to be back playing on home soil,” said Volcanoes captain Oliver Abalos Saunders. “The prospect of playing in front of our countrymen and relatives never fails to pump up the team. It’s a special feeling to feel and hear the crowd’s support. It definitely pushes us to do better.” The ARC is the first international sporting event that will be held in the 25,000-seater Philippine Stadium, part of the world-class Ciudad de Victoria complex in Bulacan. “The Philippine Stadium was the key to securing the right to host the tournament,” said Philippine Rugby Football Union director Matt Cullen. “Upon inspection, the tournament officials were immediately impressed with this world-class facility. We’re grateful for the incredible support that the Iglesia ni Cristo has shown throughout the bidding process which thankfully resulted in the Philippines’ being awarded hosting duties.” The Philippine Volcanoes competed in the 2013 Rugby World Cup Sevens held in Moscow and in the 17th Asian Games finished fifth place. The Volcanoes will compete in the Southeast Asian Games in Singapore this year and the 2016 Olympic Qualifiers for Asia. Read more at www.spin.ph/football/news/asian-rugby-championship-philippine-volcanoes-rugby-football-union#0SayDVEMVbsdBx4d.99 This will be the 2nd international sporting event to be held at the new Philippine Sports Stadium after the AFC Cup soccer encounter between clubs Global and Yadanarbon.