(5 September, 2019) Vientiane, Lao PDR - At the end of August, U20 national teams from nine countries in Asia came together at Chao Anou Vong Stadium for the Asia Rugby U20 Sevens. The competion was organised by Asia Rugby and hosted by the Lao Rugby Federation (LRF) from 24-25 August with support from competition and team supporters, DAC Management, ChildFund Pass It Back and player sponsors from around the world. In addition to 13 national teams representing their country in exhilarating 7s competition, the LRF also took the opportunity to organise a series of rugby and life skills activities between local Champa Ban powered by ChildFund Pass It Back rugby teams and visiting international teams to encourage cultural exchange and leadership development for the visiting and locally-based players.
The Asia Rugby U20 Sevens saw rising rugby superstars from all across Asia meet in Vientiane, Lao PDR for the most competitive annual U20s tournament in Asia. Ultimately Hong Kong earned the title of Asia Rugby U20 Sevens Cup Winners in both the men’s and women’s competition, and Malaysia and India emerged as Plate Winners in the men’s and women’s competition respectively.
The DAC Lao National Teams represented Laos proudly in the competition with the DAC Lao Women’s National Team narrowly losing to Singapore 12-14 in pool play and holding the eventual Cup champions, Hong Kong, to a 12-5 lead until late in the match. Tries across the weekend from Nithnoy Phommachith and Anastasia Lavongtheung put both players on the competition’s ‘top try scorer’ list. With many players making their international debut, the DAC Lao Men’s National Team also put up a strong defense throughout the weekend and many emerging young players had a chance to face off against Asia’s best U20s competition, providing important competition and building a strong platorm for the future of the Lao national team.
Running concurrently to the Asia Rugby U20 Sevens, the LRF hosted a series of youth competitions seeing 6 female and 6 male youth tag rugby teams compete for the title of the Champa Ban powered by ChildFund Pass It Back Cup Winner. All of the competing teams were composed of players from local Champa Ban powered by ChildFund Pass It Back activities many of whom had the chance to connect with the international superstars through rugby and life skills activities earlier in the weekend. The Naotinal Teams from Chinese Taipei, Hong Kong, India, Singapore, Chinese Taipei, and Laos all participated in the rugby and life skills activities leading up to the international competition, taking the opportunity to meet and exchange with Champa Ban powered by ChildFund Pass It Back youth players from nearby schools and villages in the Lao capital. The activities included game based sessions where the international teams and the Lao youth players could share their experiences of leadership on and off the rugby pitch as well as their commitment to being positive role models and ending violence back in their communities.
Since piloting the ChildFund Pass It Back curriculum in Xieng Khouang Province, the LRF has seen a rapid increase in the number of registered players in the country and continues to work towards expanding into other provinces. Over 90 percent of the players on the DAC Lao National Teams participated in the LRF’s Champa Ban powered by ChildFund Pass It Back youth rugby program as players or coaches in the past two years.
In addition to the success on the pitch during the international and youth competitions, the tournament was predominantly staffed and managed by current Champa Ban powered by ChildFund Pass It Back Coaches. A team of 40 Coaches led the technical zone, sideline match officiating and first aid management for the International competition.
Coach Phonesavanh Sengmany served as the First Aid Manager for the tournament using the opportunity to build on her skills acquired as a ChildFund Pass It Back Coach to lead on first aid and pitchside care during the tournament. Ms. Sengmany comments, "The Asia Rugby U20s was more than just a competition [for me] because I was responsible for being manager of the First Aid Team with other LRF Staff and ChildFund Pass It Back Coaches. I did my best and learned a lot while I was working hard to lead the team and keep everybody safe throughout this tournament and I think this opportunity will also help me continue to build our first aid structures for domestic and youth competition in Laos far into the future.”
Assistant referee for the tournament and Regional Coordinator at LRF’s Xieng Khouang office, Ms. Lao Khang, states that, ”The best thing for me was to have the opportunity to be a referee at the highest level and to learn new skills. Observing and implementing are different and I was happy to be able to use my new skills and develop myself.”
LRF would like to thank longtime LRF partner, ChildFund Pass It Back for supporting the youth exchange and leadership development activities during this exciting competition. The LRF thanks DAC Management and all of the U20s Lao National Team player sponsors who made this incredible development opportunity possible for the Lao teams and whose ongoing support makes the LRF’s elite program possible at the junior and senior level. The Asia Rugby U20s Sevens wouldn’t have been possible without the ongoing support of the LRF’s partners, sponsors and supporters who make our ongoing youth, domestic and national team programming possible. This competition represented a culmination of the LRF’s work and capacity building over many years and the LRF thanks longtime partners, Department of Foreign Affairs Australia, ChildFund Australia, World Rugby and Asia Rugby for their ongoing support towards leadership and capacity building for our Champa Ban powered by ChildFund Pass It Back Coaches. Many thanks also to LRF's Champa Ban sponsors including DFDL Legal & Tax, Pot Bellied Pigs RFC, Cairnhill Structures, DHL Express, RedBox Storage, Kennedy School of Hong Kong, Segantii, and DAC Management LLC. for their ongoing contributions to youth rugby in Laos. Thanks also goes to Asia Rugby’s sponsors World Flair and Rhino and to all of the visiting teams, officials, team staff, fans who made the trip to Chao Anou Vong Stadium during the weekend to support the teams.
NOTES TO THE EDITOR:
About the Lao Rugby Federation
The Lao Rugby Federation (LRF) was formed in 2001. Since then, the LRF has gone on to gain full membership of Asia Rugby, associate member status of World Rugby and most importantly, registration with the Elite Sports Department of the Lao Ministry of Education and Sport (MoES).
The LRF is the governing body for all rugby activities within the Lao PDR. LRF activities are focused on developing the sport through a school and community development programme, supporting domestic and elite teams to improve and developing a sound structure to provide transparent and accountable financial and administrative support to the sport.
The LRF mission is: To provide opportunities for men and women, boys and girls, social and elite players and those in urban and rural areas to participate in the sport of rugby, whilst ensuring that health benefits and personal development opportunities are realised to their fullest extent.
The LRF understands that this can only be achieved by ensuring that we have the necessary capacities to deliver high-quality playing and participation opportunities; this involves engagement with the government, communities, businesses, schools and other institutions to provide sustainable access to participation (playing and non-playing) opportunities.
If you or someone you know is interested in sponsoring, donating to, or learning about the Lao Rugby Federation, please contact sponsor@laorugby.com for more information.
For more information, please contact:
Pisa Vongdeuanpheng (Lao, Thai) or Ariel Pueyo (English, Spanish) Phone: +856 21 315 795
Email: info@laorugby.com
Website: www.laorugby.com
Editors: Images are available upon request.