00:30It was really good, really good experience and it's good to be back again in the international stage since our last one was 2019. Pre-pandemic, no? Yeah, pre-pandemic. So that was tough because a lot of the players actually wasn't available on this one because of like duties and other pride commitment. But this time around it was just exciting and it's good to be back again.
00:55Right. But Johnny, how long have you been with the Volcanoes? I'm one of the newcomers in the team. I've just managed to get selected this year. And so it's great playing alongside JM and Ken and learning from the experience that they have.
01:09How is it playing with Filipinos in general?
01:12Yeah, I mean, the sport's not so big in the Philippines but there is a lot of talent here in the Philippines and it's great playing with local players who've learned their rugby in the Philippines.
01:22How is your Filipino so far?
01:25Sakto lang.
01:26Sakto lang. I like that.
01:30JM, nabanggit nga ni Ken that your last one was 2019. That was pre-pandemic. How does it feel like playing?
01:37Ang tagal nang naging gap from 2019 to 2025.
01:40Actually, it's a great honor to be part of the restart of the program since when I started to learn rugby, I was watching the boys like 2019 on what is the sport, kung ano ba talaga ito.
01:51And it's great now that the restart is actually ongoing that I get to play with the boys that I used to watch.
01:59Nice! But that's one of the greatest feeling, yung pinapanood mo lang ngayon, katrabaho mo na, kalaro mo na.
02:05Pero, what do you think are the key factors that made you guys win that game?
02:10I think the funny thing is yung typhoon. Actually, we only had a day of training and then the rest we had to figure out.
02:19We had to train in basements, in open parks, public parks and I think that bonded the team really well and then we went on from there.
02:28Ang galing naman. But Ken, what do you think what stood out sa inyo in that match or in that tournament?
02:34Right. I think everyone stood out because when you are given to that opportunity, you really have to perform at the highest level that you have because it's only a few that got selected and you want to make sure that you deserve that spot.
02:53And also, you're playing for the country, right? So that's probably what stood out is that everyone there deserve to be there.
03:03But yeah, we have the youngest one which is 19 years old.
03:06Wow! Okay.
03:07Yeah, so Lawrence Taylor-Totia, he's the one of the youngest that we have in our team. 19 years old and he was performing really well.
03:14Great. But Johnny, you are one of the newcomers you've mentioned. But what do you think, how big is the rugby community here in the Philippines?
03:23In the Philippines, it's growing. It's definitely growing. I was surprised when I first arrived in the Philippines in 2023.
03:30I thought there was only one club, but there's multiple clubs, right? And I'm pleasantly surprised. But we'd like to keep growing the sport here in the Philippines and like to get more locals pushed through into the national team.
03:45So that's the goal. Right. Well, he already mentioned, you know, you have the plans to grow, help grow rugby in the Philippines.
03:55But what are the steps? Or do you have any plans or projects? Let's say, for example, grassroots program or, you know, tapping local regionals, teams.
04:06Right. So PRFU at the moment is focusing in developing the sports also outside of Metro Manila.
04:14So listen. So we have different provinces now that introducing rugby and even in school.
04:20I think that's one of the other thing that we want to introduce. Also, like I said, you know, Jim came from that program.
04:28He learned his rugby in the Philippines and was able to be selected and represented the country.
04:33And we want more of that. And I think for us to be able to do that is we need more exposure.
04:39So like this interview is really great. So to get the word out there and also for sponsorship and stuff like that for private and government and private entities.
04:47So yeah, so that's what we want to do for the steps.
04:50I want to ask about your journey that you just learned rugby and then you got selected.
04:56So how was your journey? Kamusta naman? I mean, bakit ka ba nahok sa rugby at how does it make you feel isa ka sa napili?
05:04Actually, I started playing after the pandemic. So around 2022. And then the sport really, I fell in love with the sport because of, you know, actually the physicality.
05:13But more than that, it's actually a mentally draining game. There's a lot of tactics involved.
05:19And then one more thing is the brotherhood, kapatid. So that's a word we say a lot. Once you're bonded into that team, we're here for one another.
05:31And that's great. Like, it really made me fell in love with the sport.
05:35Right. Well, you mentioned the kapatid already. Do they feel like brothers to you now?
05:41Yeah. Of course, of course.
05:45No, it's one thing. I think that's something special. I mean, the question earlier, what was something special about the team and what kind of bonded us together?
05:54And it is that brotherhood. It is being kapatid's, you know, having that family.
05:59And rugby is a very physical game. And essentially, you're going to war. So you can't go into it 50%. You have to go all out.
06:07And it's good to know that you can go alongside your teammates 100%.
06:11Right. Always in your top A, like, top A shape. But tell me about the Union's Cup.
06:17We were talking about this. And then what's the other one? The second sevens?
06:22Oh, the seven series.
06:24The seven series. How are the two different?
06:26So the 15s, the Union basically consists of 15 players in the field.
06:34And the other side is 15. And then seven is basically half of the team, basically seven players playing in the whole field.
06:42So it's a lot more like a lot more like stamina is running like for the speedsters like Johnny, you know,
06:50For me and JM, probably it's not for us because, you know, we're the big guys and whatnot. So sevens is more for this one.
07:00But yeah, we have the seven series coming up this year, I believe, right?
07:04Yeah.
07:04Okay.
07:05Yeah.
07:05So, yeah.
07:06I see.
07:07Now, what do you think with the long gap from 2019 to 2025, what were the challenges or what are the challenges that the team or you guys faced during this long time?
07:18Right. So I played in 2019 Asia Cup Tournament and we won that as well, which is great.
07:27And then the gap basically, the biggest challenge for that is players are getting older, right?
07:34And also, it's just, you know, the momentum of things. So I think that's the biggest challenge. And the break really just kind of hold every, like,
07:46it's not just rugby, right? It's every sport. So I think the biggest challenge is getting back into it.
07:51So, but now, as you can see, we're in full momentum now with rugby. So we're hoping to continue with that.
07:58Sabi nga nila, age is just the number. Manipakio ka, 46 and back on the ring, right?
08:04That's true.
08:04But of course, rugby is a totally different physical game, right? But what do you think how did this win
08:12made an impact in the Philippines or the rugby community?
08:16I think it made people believe that, yeah, we're back in the international scene.
08:22Like, for the longest time, we've been watching our neighbors, like, continue to develop for the past six years
08:29and, like, thinking that we're getting left behind. But now, we showed that the people, like, we belong
08:36and then we can continue to dominate the international scene as long as we put the work into it.
08:43Yeah. Well, Johnny, what do you think the Volcanoes or the team needs to improve or has to improve
08:49to be able to, you know, expand comparing to other countries with having rugby as a really big sport?
08:55Well, I think one main thing is training camps. It would be more beneficial if we could train
09:03for a longer period of time together to kind of build that chemistry and then go out and compete.
09:08At the moment, what we're kind of doing is competing at the countries. So for when we were in Kaohsiung,
09:15we went there for a three-day training camp and tried to put it all together. And luckily,
09:20we did because we have a very talented group of players, but more training time would be beneficial.
09:24Only for three days, huh? Yeah.
09:26Lakas! Okay, but what is next for the Volcanoes after this one?
09:33I think it's defending the title. So we enter the Union's Cup, so it's every year. So we definitely want
09:41to maintain our title and also bringing in new players into the program. So that's what's going
09:51to be next for the Union, for the PRFE. I'm curious about how is the women's team doing?
09:56The women's team? Yeah, they're doing really well. We also have the same kind of program for the women's.
10:03Right. We have local team for the women's and also I believe sevens. They're in internationally as well.
10:11So women's, they're as big as the men's sports in rugby. Well, that's really good to hear, right?
10:17Yeah. Okay. Well, do you have any message to all young Filipino rugby players here?
10:26Youngest one? Yeah, it's the youngest one. Hello?
10:30Youngest one? Hello? We got training at Nomads on Thursday at Bukati Circuit Ayala. So yeah, come join.
10:41Feel free. It's an open sport. It's really great. A lot of friendly people and I think you'll really
10:48enjoy the sport. All right. How about you? Yeah, for anyone who wants to get into the sport,
10:54don't be afraid to reach out to your local clubs. So yeah, Johnny mentioned we have like Nomads
11:00around Makati. We have Eagles around Alabang and Punta Dupa area. So there's a lot of teams
11:06that you can message and get into the sport. So yeah, try your rugby. It's going to be a great
11:14experience for everyone. And of course, last but not the least, Ken? Yeah. I mean,
11:19they said the club, so my club's Eagles. So please watch out for training for Eagles. We're really
11:25beginner friendly and one of the best social and team in the Philippines. And I just want to say
11:31thank you for inviting us in here to get the word out there about rugby. And yeah, hopefully everyone
11:38can join us. It's a very beginner friendly setup. Just because it's physical doesn't mean that, you know,
11:44we always have to be physical in some aspect of things. But give it a shot. You'll learn so much
11:50from it.
11:50I feel like you said to me, give it a shot. You should.
11:53You should.
11:54I didn't even say beginner friendly. Why not? Once again, thank you so much. Congratulations on your
12:00recent win, Ken, Johnny, and JM. Thank you very much.
12:04Thank you, man. Thank you, man. Ayan. At syempre, bago tayo magpaalam, nais namin batiin lang happy,
12:10happy, happy, happy, happy, happy, maraming happy birthday ang aming batikan at nag-iisang
12:15pinakapogging director na si Direk Leodokto. Happy birthday, Direk.
12:22Ayan, gano'n man. At teammates, anywhere, everywhere, ay mapapanood nyo kami itong haya ng aming
12:27programa sa free-to-air channel PTV4, digital channel for the box, channel 12, TV+, channel 4,
12:34at sa sky table channel 29. Para sa mga updates at live streaming, i-follow nyo kami sa aming
12:40social media pages of Facebook and YouTube at PDB Sports Network. Subaybayan nyo rin ang
12:46lineup na inilatag namin sa PDB Sports Network mula 8am to 7.30pm. At dyan na po nagtatapos
12:52ng isang oras ng Sports Balita. Samahan nyo kami muli. Bukas, ako si Sheila Salaisay,
12:58kasama si Ken, Johnny, at MJ. All together, dito pa rin niya sa inyong favorite sports
