Asia Rugby League

[yakstorm]

There's been a fair bit happen in Asia, especially over the past six months, so thought it would be worthwhile creating a thread for discussion on it.

Philippines:
The Pambansang Ragbi Liga Ng Pilipinas domestic competition, the PNRL Shield, featured five clubs this year. Foundation side, the Manila Storm, the Pacific Kumuls, Pampanga Panthers, the Mataki City Gorillas and the Cavite Braves.

The Pacific Kumul, who are made up of players from the very large PNG ex-pat community in the Philippines, ran out 24 - 14 winners in the Grand Final.

This year was the third consecutive year the Shield has run, and the sixth full season since 2011.

The Pampanga Panthers also ran their regional Cup for a second season, with Mabalacat City facing Angeles City for the Pampanga Cup. Mabalacat won the nines event 32 - 16.

Hong Kong:
The Hong Kong domestic season saw the Pacific Toa club face off against the Wan Chai Warriors in a best of three series. Pacific Toa won the series 3- 0 (25 - 10, 58 - 14, 58 - 22) whilst the annual Orgin series also took place (though can't find the score).

The HK Tag competition continues to grow with 24 teams playing in the main competition and many other events held throughout the year.

Japan:
The Japan National Cup was reduced to only two teams this year, the Black Bunnies and Tokyo 13 Warriors, after the Kansai Kaminari withdrew (And Kamesenryu followed them shortly after). The Bunnies won the competition Grand Final 26 - 24 in August.

The JRL's partnership with the Hokkaido government saw Rugby League continue to be introduced to schools in the region. Schools that took part included Obihiro Technical High School, Hokkaido Asahikawa Kita High School and Hokkaido Sapporo Nishi High School.

Hokkaido also held Japan's recent international against Niue just last month, with Niue running out 58 - 8 winners.

 

[yakstorm]

The next big event this year in Asia, is the inaugural Asian Championship

Inaugural Asian Championships to open new frontier for game

International rugby league will enter a new frontier when Philippines hosts Japan, Hong Kong and Singapore in November's inaugural Asian Championships.

www.nrl.com

The event will be held in Manila and will feature Japan, Hong Kong, Singapore and the Philippines. The tournament will be played over three days (November 27 & 29) following a knock out format.

 

[yakstorm]

The Singapore Memerang squad for the tournament:

Singapore National Rugby League

By [email protected] In Men's National Team Postlethwaite trio set for reunion in Vanuatu Read Article By [email protected] In Men's National Team Baxter to lead Memerang in Port Vila Read Article …

singaporerugbyleague.com

 

[adamkungl]

Would love to see more full memberships out of Asia. I've been waiting to see Philippines to take a step up for a decade!

 

[yakstorm]

Would love to see more full memberships out of Asia. I've been waiting to see Philippines to take a step up for a decade!

Wouldn't we all. The IRL hasn't been very helpful with any of the Asian nations getting full membership unfortunately nor have they wanted to accommodate the different rules many Asian nations have for setting up and running these organisations.

I know that has seen the likes of HK not really bother and the Philippines put it down their priority list.

It's a shame, because strategically the Philippines is the perfect target for the IRL. I mean it has a growing domestic scene and has kept it going for over a decade, it is geographically well placed to be able to assist any other nations looking to get started in south east Asia, NRL is broadcasted into the country, so there's an awareness, there's a large English speaking population and there are also big ex-pat communities in Australia & PNG, which helps from a competitive perspective and also helping attract sponsorship, investment, etc.

 

[adamkungl]

Wouldn't we all. The IRL hasn't been very helpful with any of the Asian nations getting full membership unfortunately nor have they wanted to accommodate the different rules many Asian nations have for setting up and running these organisations.

I know that has seen the likes of HK not really bother and the Philippines put it down their priority list.

It's a shame, because strategically the Philippines is the perfect target for the IRL. I mean it has a growing domestic scene and has kept it going for over a decade, it is geographically well placed to be able to assist any other nations looking to get started in south east Asia, NRL is broadcasted into the country, so there's an awareness, there's a large English speaking population and there are also big ex-pat communities in Australia & PNG, which helps from a competitive perspective and also helping attract sponsorship, investment, etc.

Seeing how the progress in a wide range of countries has played out over the last decade, it's abundantly clear that the IRL doesn't actually do anything. Write down the eligibility rules and coordinate bidding for the world cup seems to be the extent of it.

If this interview (http://forums.leagueunlimited.com/threads/interview-with-troy-grant-head-of-the-irl.493815/) is any indication, they don't seem to have any particular plans for Philippines or Asia either. "France, Wales, PNG and ‘an African nation’ will be focused on for the next few years"

 

[Bulldog2020]

You mention the PNG expat team in Philippines.
Always wondered if the PNG expat community could be the start of the Game in Jakarta/Indonesia

 

[yakstorm]

You mention the PNG expat team in Philippines.
Always wondered if the PNG expat community could be the start of the Game in Jakarta/Indonesia

Is there much of a PNG expat community in Indonesia? If there is, it would be worthwhile the game trying to capitalise on it. The fact a significant number of PNG students go to the Philippines to study has definitely helped with establishing the local league.

 

[Bulldog2020]

I thought I had read there was. But all I can find is statements in the last couple of years about encouraging people from PNG to go to University in Indonesia

 

[yakstorm]

Fixtures for Asian Championship

 

[Growthegame]

Three of those logos need updating urgently.

 

[RedVee]

Fixtures for Asian Championship

and it isn’t at Bankstown or Cabramatta.

How good that it is being played in Manila!

 

[adamkungl]

and it isn’t at Bankstown or Cabramatta.

How good that it is being played in Manila!

On reddit comments about the Asian Cup I saw people saying how good would it be if they played it in Brisbane

 

[yakstorm]

and it isn’t at Bankstown or Cabramatta.

How good that it is being played in Manila!

All four leagues are approaching it with the right attitude, with a focus on trying to grow the games presence in the region and picking predominately local or ex-pat players for the squads.

 

[adamkungl]

All four leagues are approaching it with the right attitude, with a focus on trying to grow the games presence in the region and picking predominately local or ex-pat players for the squads.

Do you know what is the major stumbling block in getting Philippines towards full membership?
Or what happened to Thailand after showing a lot of promise in the 2010s

 

[Growthegame]

All four leagues are approaching it with the right attitude, with a focus on trying to grow the games presence in the region and picking predominately local or ex-pat players for the squads.

There’s another option?

 

[yakstorm]

There’s another option?

The other option was to get all nations to put out their strongest possible team, which for some nations would have seen their squads made up of predominantly heritage players and seen potentially an NRL player or two.

 

[yakstorm]

Do you know what is the major stumbling block in getting Philippines towards full membership?

From a participation perspective, they're not quite there yet.

For a nation with a population over 1m, they need to have:
- Minimum of 4 clubs with 1 senior + 1 junior (15-19) team
- Minimum of 250 registered domestic players
- 6 Senior Teams that play a minimum of 5 games each + finals
- 4 Junior Teams that play a minimum of 6 games each + finals
- Development of RL derivatives (wheelchair, physical disability, learning disability, 9s, touch, tag,
flag, beach etc.)
- Women & girls program

They also need to ensure they have at least 2 national teams that play a minimum of 3 games per year with 1 being at home

For the Philippines, they had 5 clubs this year (with a 6th in the Subic Dolphins formed) so will satisfy the senior requirements in 2026.

They also have more than 250 registered players and have been developing nines and have a domestic women's program, but they fall short with the structure of their junior program (less formal RL competitions, its been more school programs, training days and nines events, a lot has also been younger age groups, which don't count) and then the number of Tests.

The Tamaraws go close to satisfying the 3 Tests, including 1 home Test requirement; but the Sampaguitas have yet to play at home.

 

[adamkungl]

From a participation perspective, they're not quite there yet.

For a nation with a population over 1m, they need to have:
- Minimum of 4 clubs with 1 senior + 1 junior (15-19) team
- Minimum of 250 registered domestic players
- 6 Senior Teams that play a minimum of 5 games each + finals
- 4 Junior Teams that play a minimum of 6 games each + finals
- Development of RL derivatives (wheelchair, physical disability, learning disability, 9s, touch, tag,
flag, beach etc.)
- Women & girls program

They also need to ensure they have at least 2 national teams that play a minimum of 3 games per year with 1 being at home

For the Philippines, they had 5 clubs this year (with a 6th in the Subic Dolphins formed) so will satisfy the senior requirements in 2026.

They also have more than 250 registered players and have been developing nines and have a domestic women's program, but they fall short with the structure of their junior program (less formal RL competitions, its been more school programs, training days and nines events, a lot has also been younger age groups, which don't count) and then the number of Tests.

The Tamaraws go close to satisfying the 3 Tests, including 1 home Test requirement; but the Sampaguitas have yet to play at home.

The teenage competition requirement is probably the biggest hurdle for a lot of nations. But it's necessary to have any kind of chance of sustainable growth.

 

[Growthegame]

The other option was to get all nations to put out their strongest possible team, which for some nations would have seen their squads made up of predominantly heritage players and seen potentially an NRL player or two.

No NRL player is committing to this competition as is.