Media Release: Asia Rugby U20s Sevens Highlight Leadership and Future Opportunity in Vientiane, Lao PDR

(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.

ພິທີຖະແຫລ່ງຂາວການແຂ່ງຂັນຣັກບີ້ນານາຊາດ ລາຍການ Asia Rugby U20 Sevens ທີ່ນະຄອນຫລວງວຽງຈັນ

ວັນທີ 22 ສິງຫາ 2019, ພາຍໃນທ້າຍອາທິດນີ້, ສະຫະພັນກິລາຮັກບີ້ແຫ່ງຊາດ ໄດ້ຮັບກຽດເປັນເຈົ້າພາບຈັດາກນແຂ່ງຂັນລະດັບອາຊີ ລາຍການ Asia Rugby U20 Sevens (ລຸ້ນອາຍຸບໍ່ເກີນ20) ປະເພດຫລີ້ນ 7 ຄົນ, ທັງຊາຍ ແລະ ຍິງ ເຊິ່ງຈະມີການຊິງໄຊກັນທີ່ສະຫນາມກິລາເຈົ້າອານຸວົງ ລວມມີທັງຫມົດ 13 ທີມທີ່ມາຈາກ 9 ປະເທດ ຄື:

ໃຕ້ຫວັນ, ຮົງກົງ, ອິນເດຍ, ມາເລເຊຍ, ລາວ, ໄທ, ສິງກະໂປ,ເກົາຫລີໃຕ້ ແລະ ອຸສເບກິດສະຖານ.

ໃນນາມຂອງສະຫະພັນຣັກບີ້ແຫ່ງຊາດ ແມ່ນຮູ້ສຶກເປັນກຽດທີ່ຢ່າງຫຍິ່ງທີ່ທາງສະຫະພັນຣັກບີ້ອາຊີມີຄວາມໄວ້ວາງໃຈເລືອກປະເທດລາວໃຫ້ເປັນເຈົ້າພາບຈັດການແຂ່ງຂັນຄັ້ງນີ້. ພິເສດແມ່ນປີນີ້ຄືປີຫຍີ່ງໃຫຍ່ຂອງທະວີອາຊີທີ່ໄດ້ຮັບຈັດຣັກບີ້ໂລກເປັນຄັ້ງທຳອິດ ທີ່ປະເທດຍິ່ປຸ່ນ, ໄລຍະຜ່ານມາກິລາຣັກບີ້ແມ່ນໄດ້ຮັບຄວາມນິຍົມຫລາຍຂື້ນ ໂດຍສະເພາະໃນລາວ ແລະ ພາຍໃນຂົງເຂດພາກພື້ນດຽວກັນ. ມີນ້ອງນັກຮຽນ ແລະ ປະຊາຊົນທົ່ວໄປ ໄດ້ລົງທະບຽນເຂົ້າຮ່ວມການຫລີ້ນກິລາຣັກບີ້ພາຍໃນລາວຫລາຍກວ່າ 3,000 ຄົນ. ເຫດຜົນສຳຄັນທີ່ເຮັດໃຫ້ຣັກບີ້ໃນລາວໄດ້ຮັບການຂະຫຍາຍຕົວໄວແມ່ນ ບົດບາດຂອງສະຫະພັນທີ່ໄດ້ວາງແຜນຍຸດທະສາດຮ່ວມກັບໂຄງການ ChildFund Pass It Back ໃນການສ້າງ ແລະ ນຳໃຊ້ຄູ່ມືຫລັກສູດການຫລີ້ນຣັກບີ້ໃຫ້ກັບໄວຫນຸ່ມທົ່ວປະະເທດລາວ ທີ່ມີອາຍຸລະຫວ່າງ 11 ຫາ 16 ປີ. 

 ທ່ານ Chris Mastaglio ຜູ້ອຳນວຍການໂຄງການ ChildFund Pass It Back ໄດ້ໃຫ້ຄຳເຫັນວ່າ:​ ອົງການ ChildFund ຜ່ານການດຳເນີນງານໂຄງການ ChildFund Pass It Back, ໂຄງການດັ່ງກ່າວພວກຂ້າພະເຈົ້າແມ່ນມີຄວາມພາກພູມໃຈຫລາຍທີ່ໄດ້ຮ່ວມກັບສະຫະພັນກິລາຣັກບີ້ແຫ່ງຊາດ ເພື່ອຈັດການແຂ່ງຂັນລາຍການ Asia Rugby Under 20 Sevens Series ຄັ້ງນີ້. ຄວາມພາກພູມໃຈຄືການໄດ້ເຫັນຫມາກຜົນຂອງໂຄງການທີ່ໄດ້ເປັນຂົ້ວຕໍ່ໃຫ້ກັບນັກກິລາຫນຸ່ມນ້ອຍພາຍໃນໂຄງການ ສາມາດພັດທະນາການຫລີ້ນໄປສູ່ການເປັນນັກກິລາທີມຊາດໃນອານາຄົດ ໂດຍນັກກິລາຊຸດທີ່ຈະຫລີ້ນໃນການແຂ່ງຂັນຄັ້ງນີ້ກໍ່ເປັນຫສ່ວນຫນຶ່ງທີ່ໄດ້ເລິ່ມຈາກການຫລີ້ນຂັ້ນພື້ນຖານກັບທາງໂຄງການ. 

ຫລັກສູດຂອງ ChildFund Pass It Back ແມ່ນຫລັກສູດທີ່ສ້າງຂຶ້ນໂດຍຢຶດເອົາການໃຊ້ກິລາຣັກບີ້ເປັນເຄື່ອງມືໃຊ້ໃນການພັດທະນາທັກສະຂອງໄວຫນຸ່ມ, ໂດຍການປະສົມປະສານການສອນທັກສະກິລາຣັກບີ້ ແລະ ທັກສະຊີວິດ ເຂົ້ານຳກັນ. ພາຍໃນຫລັກສູດຈະມີການສອນຄື:ທັກສະຣັກບີ້, ສິດທິເທົ່າທຽມທາງເພດ, ການວາງແຜນອານາຄົດ, ການມີສຸຂະພາບທີ່ດີ, ການປ້ອງກັນຄວາມຮຸນແຮງ, ຄວາມເຂົ້າໃຈຕໍ່ກັບວຽກງານຫລຸດຜ່ອນຄວາມສ່ຽງ ແລະ ການສ້າງພາວະຄວາມເປັນຜູ້ນຳ. ນັກກິລາສ່ວນໃຫຍ່ທີ່ໄດ້ທີມຊາດຊຸດປະຈຸບັນສ່ວນຫລາຍຄືນັກກິລາທີ່ໄດ້ເຂົ້າຮ່ວມກິດຈະກຳຂອງສະຫະພັນ ທີ່ມີຊື່ເອີ້ນວ່າ ຈຳປາບານຣັກບີ້ (ເປັນກິດຈະກຳທີ່ນຳໃຊ້ຫລັກສູດ ແລະ ການສະຫນັບສະຫນູນຈາກ ChildFund Pass it Back) ພວກເຂົາແມ່ນເຫລົ່ານີ້ແມ່ນເລິ່ມຈາກການຫລີ້ນຂັ້ນພື້ນຖານຄືການຫລີ້ນ ແທັກຮັກບີ້ ຈົນສາມາດພັດທະນາປ່ຽນມາຫລີ້ນຣັກບີ້ ປະເພດປະທະ ສາສາມາດເປັນຕົວເລືອກໃຫ້ກັບສະໂມສອນຕ່າງໆ ແລະ ກາຍເປັນທີມຊາດໃນປັດຈຸບັນ.

ທ່ານ Mastaglio ຍັງກ່າວຕື່ມອີກວ່າ: ພວກເຮົາມີຄວາມພາກພູມໃຈທີ່ໄດ້ເຫັນພວກເຂົາທັງຫລາຍສາມາດເຂົ້າຮ່ວມການແຂ່ງຂັນໃນລະດັບນີ້ ໂດຍສະເພາະຜູ້ເຂົ້າຮ່ວມໂຄງການເຮົາມີຄວາມສາມາດ,ບໍວ່າຈະເປັນການບໍລິຫານຈັດການການແຂ່ງຂັນ, ການເປັນສ່ວນຫນຶ່ງຂອງແພດສະຫນາມ ທັງຫມົດແມ່ນໄດ້ຜ່ານການອົບຮົມຈາກໂຄງການ ChildFund Pass It Back. ການແຂ່ງຂັນຣັກບີ້ໂລກປີນີ້ ໂດຍການເປັນເຈົ້າພາບຂອງປະເທດຍີ່ປຸ່ນ ທາງໂຄງການເປັນໄດ້ເປັນສ່ວນຫນຶ່ງຂອງການແຂ່ງຂັນ ພວກເຮົາຍິນດີທີ່ໄດ້ທີ່ຈະສະຫນັບສະຫນູນການຈັດການແຂ່ງຂັນໃນລາວຄັ້ງນີີ້, ແລະ ພວກເຮົາຂໍອວຍໄຊໃຫ້ທຸກໆຈົ່ງໂຊກດີກັບການແຂ່ງຂັນ.

ຈາກການຮອງຮັບຂອງສະຫະພັນຮັກບີ້ອາຊີ, ສະຫະພັນຣັກບີ້ແຫ່ງຊາດລາວແມ່ນມີຄວາມພາກພູມໃຈເປັນຢ່າງຍິ່ງທີ່ໄດ້ເປັນຫນຶ່ງໃນສະມາຊິກສົມບູນຂອງສະຫະພັນຣັກບີ້ອາຊີຕ້ັງແຕ່ປີ 2004 ເປັນຕົ້ນມາ. ການແຂ່ງຂັນ Asia Rugby U20 Sevens ແມ່ນເປັນຫນຶ່ງໃນລະດູການຂອງການແຂ່ງຂັນຣັກບີ້ປະເພດຫລີ້ນ 7 ຄົນໃນທະວີບອາຊີ, ໂດຍຈັດຕາມລຸ້ນອາຍຸຕ່າງໆ ຈົນເຖິງລຸ້ນທົ່ວໄປ, ເຊິ່ງກ່ອນຈະມາເຖິງລາຍການນີ້ນັ້ນກໍ່ແມ່ນລາຍການ Asia Rugby Sevens Trophy (ARST) ທີ່ຫາກໍ່ຈັດໃນລະຫວ່າງວັນທີ 10 ຫາ 11 ເດືອນ ສິງຫາ ທີ່ຜ່ານ ທີ່ນະຄອນຫລວງ ຈັກກາຕ້າ ປະເທດແິນໂດເນເຊຍ. ທີມລາວເອງກໍ່ໄດ້ມີໂອກາດເຂົ້າຮ່ວມການແຂ່ງຂັນດັ້ງກ່າວ, ເຊິ່ງໄດ້ພົບກັບທີມທີ່ແຂງແກ່ນຫລາຍທີມທົ່ວອາຊີ. ຜົນການແຂ່ງຂັນແມ່ນທີມຍິງລາວແມ່ນຈົບຢູ່ທີ່ທີ 6 ສ່ວນທີມຊາຍແມ່ນຈົບທີ່ອັນດັບທີ 8. ໄຊຊະນະທີ່ສຳຄັນແມ່ນທີມຍິງລາວ ສາມາດຍາດໄດ້ໄຊຊະນະຈາກ ປະເທດ ກາຕ້າ ດ້ວຍຄະນະ 19 ຕໍ່ 0.  

ພາຍໃນຊ່ວງຂອງການແຂ່ງຂັນທາງສະຫະພັນຍັງຈະໄດ້ມີການເຮັດສຳພາດກັບຫົວຫນ້າທີມຂອງແຕ່ລະປະເທດ, ເພື່ອໃຫ້ສື່ ແລະ ນັກຂ່າວທຸກສຳນັກສາມາດມີໂອກາດສຳພາດ ແລະ ເຫັບຂໍ້ມູນກັບທີມຕ່າງໆ ໂດຍການສຳພາດແມ່ນຈະຈັດຂຶ້ນທີ່ ສະຫນາມເຈົ້າອານຸວົງ ວັນທີ 23 ສິງຫາ ເວລາ 17 ໂມງ 00.

ການແຂ່ງຂັນຄູ່ທຳອິດພາຍໃນການ Asia Rugby U20 Sevens ແມ່ນຈະເລິ່ມເວລາ 12 ໂມງ 30 ຂອງວັນເສົາ ທີ 24 ສິງຫາ. ຮອບຮອງຊະນະເລີດແມ່ນຈະເລິ່ມເວລາ 13 ໂມງ 00, ຕໍ່ດ້ວຍຮອບຊິງຊະນະເລີດເວລາ 15 ໂມງ 00 ແລະ ພິທີມອບຂັນລາງວັນແມ່ນເວລາ 17 ໂມງ 30 ທັງຫມົດນີ້ແມ່ນຈະດຳເນີນໃນວັນອາທິດ ທີ 25 ສິງຫາ. ເຂົ້າຊົມຟຣີບໍເສຍຄ່າຜ່ານປະຕູ ແລະ ຂໍຮຽນເຊີນທຸກທ່ານທີ່ສົນໃຈເຂົ້າຊົມການແຂ່ງຂັນເພື່ອເຊຍນັກກິລລາວເຮົາລຸ້ນອາຍຸບໍເກີນ 20 ປີໄດ້ ຕາມວັນ ແລະ ເວລາທີ່ດຳນົດ.

ທາງສະຫະພັນຣັກບີ້ແຫ່ງຊາດລາວຂໍສະແດງຄວາມຂອບໃຈມາຍັງທາງສະຫະພັນຣັກບີ້ອາຊີ,ບໍລິສັດ Asian Flair,ບໍລິສັດ Rhino, ແລະ ໂຄງການ ChildFund Pass It Back, ຄູ່ຮວມງານດ້ານການລະດົມທຶນ ສະຫະພັນຣັກບີ້ໂລກ ທີ່ປະເທດຍິ່ປຸ່ນ ແລະ ຄູ່ຮ່ວມງານສະຫະພັນຣັກບີ້ແຫ່ງຊາດລາວທີ່ໄດ້ໃຫ້ການອຸປະຖຳກິລາຣັກບີ້ໃນລາວ. ຂໍຂອບໃຈມາຍັງທາງ Australian Aid ແລະ ອົງການຊາຍຟັນ ອົດສະຕາລີ ທີ່ໄດ້ໃນການຊ່ວຍເຫລືອກິດຈະກຳຣັກບີຂອງໄວຫນຸ່ມໃນລາວ. ສຸດທ້າຍນີ້, ຂໍຂອບໃຈທາງຍັງຜູ້ມຫ້ການອຸປະຖຳຫລັກກິດຈະກຳ ຈຳປາບານຣັກບີ້ ນັ້ນກໍຄື ໂຄງການ ChildFund Pass It Back, ຜູ້ສະຫນັບສະຫນຸນກິລາຣັກບີ້ໄວຫນຸ່ມເຊັ່ນ: ບໍລິສັດທີ່ປຶກສາກົດຫມາຍ DFDL Legal & Tax,ສະໂມສອນ Pot Bellied Pigs RFC, Cairnhill Structures, ບໍລິສັດ DHL Express,ບໍລິສັດ RedBox Storage,ໂຮງຮຽນ Kennedy School of Hong Kong, Segantii, ແລະ ບໍລິສັດ DAC Management LLC ທີ່ໄດ້ສືບຕໍ່ໃຫ້ການສະຫນັບສະຫນູນຣັກບີ້ໃນລາວຕະຫລອດມາ.

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 Asian 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.

For more information, please contact:

Pisa Vongdeuanpheng (Lao) or Ariel Pueyo (English)

Phone: +856 21 315 795

Email: info@laorugby.com

Website: www.laorugby.com

Editors: Images are available upon request.

Media Release: Lao Rugby Federation Hosts Asia Rugby U20 Sevens

Lao Rugby Federation Hosts Asia Rugby U20s Sevens International Tournament in Vientiane

(22 August, 2019) Vientiane, Lao PDR - This weekend, the Lao Rugby Federation (LRF) will host the Asia Rugby Under 20s (U20) Sevens at Chao Anou Vong Stadium in Vientiane. Over the course of two days, thirteen U20s teams from Chinese Taipei, Hong Kong, India, Malaysia, Laos, Thailand, Singapore, South Korea, and Uzbekistan will compete for the title of the Asia Rugby U20 Cup.

The LRF is honoured to be hosting an international competition of this magnitude in Laos. In this Rugby World Cup year, rugby is growing rapidly in the Lao PDR and within the region. With over 3,000 registered players to date rugby is gaining a following within the country. One of the reasons for this growth is the Lao Rugby Federation’s role implementing the ChildFund Pass It Back curriculum to young players ages 11-16 across three provinces in Laos. 

ChildFund Pass It Back Director, Chris Mastaglio explains “ChildFund, through the ChildFund Pass It Back program, is proud to support the Lao Rugby Federation to host the Asia Rugby Under 20 Sevens Series. Seeing former ChildFund Pass It Back players and current coaches from Laos represent their country on the highest stage demonstrates the role that Sport for Development programs can play in both youth and sport development.

The ChildFund Pass It Back curriculum integrates rugby and life skills training to provide lessons in a number of areas including gender, planning for the future, being healthy, preventing violence, safeguarding and leadership. The majority of players in the DAC Lao National Teams are graduates from the LRF’s Champa Ban powered by ChildFund Pass It Back youth rugby program and were able to join the national teams after transitioning from tag to contact rugby through their involvement in contact rugby clinics and by joining rugby clubs in their communities..

Mr. Mastaglio goes on to assert, “We are also proud to also see that at the competition there will be officials, administrators and first aid responders that have all come through the ChildFund Pass It Back program - as the principal charity partner for Rugby World Cup 2019 in Japan, we are proud to support Laos to host this event and we wish all the teams the best of luck!”

As the governing body of the rugby union in Asia, LRF is proud to be a full member of this association since the 2004. The Asia Rugby U20s Sevens are taking place during Asia Rugby’s exciting Sevens seasons with age grade and senior competitions happening across the continent. One of these tournaments was the Asia Rugby Sevens Trophy (ARST), which took place in Jakarta, Indonesia from 10 - 11 August 2019. The ARST saw the participation of the DAC Lao National Teams against some of the strongest rugby teams in Asia and placed the Women’s and the Men’s team 6th and 8th respectively in the final standings respectively. One of the highlights of the competition was the DAC Lao Women's National Team’s 19 - 0 victory against the Qatar Women's National Team.

The Captains’ Call will take place at Chao Anouvong Stadium on 23 August at 17:00. Captains for the Lao and international teams will be present to answer any questions about their involvement in the tournament. 

The opening match for the Asia Rugby U20 Sevens will take place at 12:30 on Saturday, 24 August. The semi final rounds will start at 13:00, followed by the final matches starting at 15:00 and the closing ceremony at 17:30 on Sunday 25 August. Entry fee is free of charge and all invited to come and cheer for the U20 teams.

NOTES TO THE EDITOR: About the Lao Rugby Federation

The Lao Rugby Federa1on (LRF) was formed in 2001. Since then, the LRF has gone on to gain full membership of Asian 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 capactities 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.

For more information, please contact:

Savanhxay Xayyasone (Lao) or Ariel Pueyo (English) Phone: +856 21 315 795
Email: info@laorugby.com
Website: www.laorugby.com

Editors: Images are available upon request.

ຟອມຮັບສະໝັກຄູຝຶກຈຳປາບານຣັກບີ້ໄວຫນຸ່ມ

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Join our Team!

Love rugby? Love coaching? LRF has coaching and management positions open today - apply today to support the growth of rugby in Laos! The LRF is recruiting for the following positions:

• Senior Men’s and Women’s 7s Head Coach: Full time position from 1 July until 10 December 2019

• U20s Men’s 7s Coach: Part time position from 15 June until 26 August

• U20s Women’s 7s Coach: Part time position from 15 June until 26 August

• Senior Men’s National Team Manager: Part time position from 1 July until 10 December 2019

• Senior Women’s National Team Manager: Part time position from 1 July until 10 December 2019

• Junior Men’s National Team Manager: Part time position from 1 June until 27 August 2019

• Junior Women’s National Team Manager: Part time position from 1 June until 27 August 2019

Please note that all work will take place in a resource constrained environment and volunteer stipends for coaching positions are limited. Please send your CV and cover letter stating your renumeration expectations to info@laorugby.com if you are interested in any of these positions.

2019 DHL Hanoi and Vientiane 10s Kick off in January

15 Jan, 2019, Vientiane, Laos. In a historic year for rugby in Asia, rugby players and enthusiasts from the United States, Hong Kong, Thailand, Laos, and Vietnam will come together in Hanoi and Vientiane for a new rugby 10s series sponsored by DHL.

January 2019 marks an exciting time for rugby in Southeast Asia. Building upon the success of the longstanding Vientiane International Rugby Championship, the Lao Rugby Federation (LRF) has partnered with a new competition, the Hanoi 10s, to create a multi-tournament series spanning two weeks in January, with opportunities for rugby outreach, recruitment, and education between tournaments.

In 2017, LRF staff and Coaches traveled to Kim Boi, Vietnam to support ChildFund Pass It Back Coaches in hosting their first international tag rugby competition. This year, the LRF is proud that its staff and Coaches will again return to Vietnam to support the first club 10s competition in Hanoi attracting senior international club teams as well as seeing the Kim Boi Wild Cats compete at the club level for the first time. “It’s an exciting time for rugby in the region with 2019 being a South East Asian Games year and also the first Rugby World Cup to be held in Asia,” comments LRF President Mr. Virayouth Rathikoun. “The LRF is proud of our role as a leader for ChildFund Pass It Back work in the region and in developing rugby in Vietnam in the lead up to South East Asian Games 2021 when the country of 90,000,000 will host the cornerstone games.”

The series kicked off in Hanoi, with a single-day tournament marking the first-ever DHL Hanoi 10s on January 19th. The tournament included local teams, teams from Hong Kong and Thailand, as well as representative teams from Laos, sponsored by DAC. In the following days, visiting international teams traveled to learn about the development of rugby in Vietnam by observing ChildFund Pass It Back coaching activities in the area which focus on rugby and life skills development for young people. International teams were also invited to experience local culture and cuisine and, of course, practice on local pitches to prepare for the second tournament in the series.

Before competing in the 12th annual DHL Vientiane 10s, however, visiting teams were given an opportunity to practice with rugby coaches from throughout Laos. A leader in rugby development in the region, the LRF’s partnership with ChildFund Pass It Back has spurred unprecedented interest among youth in Laos: since the curriculum’s implementation in 2015, the number of registered players in Laos has grown from 300 to 3,000. Visitors met the coaches at the forefront of this growth through their involvement in Lao club teams.

The DHL Vientiane 10s, previously the Vientiane International Rugby Championship, is a long-standing Southeast Asian rugby fixture, and competition this year will be held on January 26-27. 2019 marks the 12th annual DHL Vientiane 10s, and promises fierce competition in both the Men’s and Women’s divisions with 23 teams in the men’s and women’s elite divisions and in the men’s development division. Chao Anouvong stadium in downtown Vientiane will once again host teams and representatives from the United States, Hong Kong, Thailand, Australia and Vietnam.

For rugby enthusiasts, the importance of this tournament resonates beyond the January excitement. Rugby World Cup 2019, hosted by Japan, will be the first played in Asia. To coincide with this historic year, World Rugby has announced its Rugby World Cup 2019 partnership with ChildFund Pass It Back to grow the sport of rugby throughout Asia. Tournaments, and in particular, series, like the DHL Hanoi and Vientiane 10s provide opportunities for local teams to compete at a high level and continue to grow the sport and inspire others to join.

Laos will be celebrating the partnership between World Rugby and ChildFund Pass It Back with its own youth rugby tournament on the first day of the Vientiane 10s - the Champa Ban powered by ChildFund Pass It Back League Finals. Youth rugby teams throughout Laos have been competing since early December for a place at the Finals tournament in Vientiane - the teams playing represent the provincial champions from Xieng Khouang, Vientiane Province, and Vientiane Capital. The tag rugby tournament will take place on January 26, coinciding with the Vientiane 10s, and young rugby players will have a chance to watch the international competition.

It’s a particularly poignant year for players from Xieng Khouang, where the ChildFund Pass It Back program was first piloted in 2015. Since then, rugby has grown significantly among youth players - but this season marks the first time that a senior club from Xieng Khouang will compete. All of the players in the club have come through the LRF’s ChildFund Pass It Back work. Thanks to the support of the Hong Kong-Based Pot Bellied Pigs RFC and the individual contribution of Chris Garvey of Habitual, clubs from Xieng Khouang will have the chance to compete at the 2019 DHL Vientiane 10s - a historical first for rugby in Laos and demonstration of sustainable growth of the game and the LRF’s strong development pathways.

The LRF and Hanoi 10s Organising Committee would like to thank DHL and DAC for sponsoring the first annual Hanoi and Vientiane 10s series. The Vientiane 10s would also like to thank secondary sponsor ANZ, as well as Anakot Consulting for supporting the 2019 DHL Vientiane 10s. We would also like to thank all teams who have registered, including local Lao club teams the Buffalos, Wild Hogs, Canon Tigers, Lions, Buffalettes, and Xieng Khouang RFC and especially the DAC Weredragons and Rejectors, whose generous support has made it possible to send a representative team from Laos to Hanoi to compete. A very special thanks to ChildFund Pass It Back for important work growing the sport of rugby in both nations.

Read the full “2019 DHL Hanoi and Vientiane 10s Kick off in January” press release here.

Australian Rugby Superstars Visit Laos

(16 August, 2018) Vientiane, Lao PDR - Olympic Gold Medalist Charlotte Caslick, Australian Men’s National Team Captain Lewis Holland, and Former Australian Women’s National Team Captain Rebecca Tavo are visiting Laos to support the growth of rugby coaches and players in Lao PDR.

Organised by the Australian Embassy in Laos, ChildFund Laos, the Lao Rugby Federation, and Tribe7s, the Australian superstars have been training with the Lao National Teams and supporting the growth of Champa Ban powered by ChildFund Pass It Back youth rugby in Vientiane Capital and Xieng Khouang Province during their visit.

Charlotte Caslick is an international rugby superstar who won gold at the first-ever Olympic Rugby 7s in Rio de Janeiro in 2016. That year, she won World Rugby 7s Player of the Year. Year after year, she continues to be a standout player and role model for young people worldwide. “I'm really looking forward to working with the team at the Lao Rugby Federation and to supporting the ChildFund Pass It Back program,” said Caslick on her public Facebook profile. “My brother, Sam Caslick, and my mate, Rebecca Tavo, have already spent time in Vientiane helping the Lao national team prepare last year and their reports on the awesome work being done in Laos made me put this on top of my to-do list once we got a break in our schedule.”

Caslick is joined by fellow Australian superstar, Lewis Holland, who is Captain of the Australian Men’s National 7s team. Holland also participated in the Australian squad for the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, but was forced to pull out with a hamstring injury. He has continued to lead the team through the most recent 2018 Rugby World Cup, and has big plans for the future.

The visit kicked off with a full day of training ac:vi:es in Vientiane Capital. Tavo, Holland, and Caslick led a training clinic for six teams of 11-16 year-old Champa Ban powered by ChildFund Pass It Back youth rugby players. These young athletes will be using the inspiration and new skills from the training at a tournament in Vientiane this weekend where U16 teams from Vientiane Capital and Xieng Khouang Province will compete against each other. The winning teams will be presented with trophies by the Australian stars themselves, who will be pitch side for the final rounds.

Caslick, Holland, and Tavo also led a training for DAC Lao National Team hopefuls, a pool of elite players who hope to be selected to compete in a number of international tournaments coming up later in the year. Ms. Tavo helped train the DAC Lao Women’s National team last year, alongside Ms. Caslick’s younger brother, as part of a growing rugby relationship between Australia and Lao PDR.

On Friday 17 August, the Australian Embassy in Laos hosted a welcoming event at the Australian Embassy Recreation Facility. Colleagues from ChildFund Laos, the Lao Rugby Federation and the Australian Embassy were able to welcome the international athletes alongside partners from the Lao Ministry of Education and Sport, the Lao Olympic Committee, the Lao Women’s Union and the Lao Youth Union.

Caslick, Tavo, and Holland will depart from Vientiane on 19 August to visit Xieng Khouang, where they hope to contribute to the growth and development of the sport in the lead up to the Lao National Games set to be hosted in Phonesavanh in November, where rugby will be an exhibition sport for the first time. The Australian athletes will spend the first day of their visit in Nonghet District, where they will observe a Champa Ban powered by ChildFund Pass It Back rugby and life skills session led by local Coaches that helps players learn and practice important life skills centred around rugby’s values.

The following day, they will lead an outreach clinic to share their passion for rugby with new young players and support Lao Coaches in recruiting new players for the upcoming Champa Ban powered by ChildFund Pass It Back season set to begin later this month. Over the remainder of their trip, the Australian heroes will also enjoy several meals and meetings with Coaches from nearby villages and travel to Paek District to support with further outreach and new player recruitment events.

This season marks an important :me of growth for Lao Rugby; Coaches in Vientiane Capital, Xieng Khouang Province, and, for the first time, Vientiane Province, are in the midst of recruiting teams for the upcoming school year. With more than 40 new teams joining Champa Ban powered by ChildFund Pass It Back curriculum in Laos, Coaches are working hard to introduce new players to the benefits of the sport. Role models like Caslick, Tavo, and Holland help old and new players get excited about rugby and inspire the next generation of leaders.

We would like to thank our partners including ChildFund Australia, the Australian Embassy in Laos and Tribe 7s for making this visit possible, and for continuing to support the mission of growing the sport of rugby in Laos. We would also like to thank Ms. Tavo, Mr. Holland, and Ms. Caslick for generously giving their time and energy to growing the international rugby family.

Read the full “Australian Rugby Superstars Visit Laos” press release here.

LRF and Australian Embassy Celebrate Growth of ChildFund Pass It Back in Laos

Vientiane, Laos, 13 July, 2018: The Lao Rugby Federation (LRF) and the Australian Embassy in Vientiane are celebrating the completion of a 4th season of Champa Ban powered by ChildFund Pass It Back in the Lao PDR including 30 new Coaches trained, the expansion of the curriculum into new areas and a team of Lao boys and girls returning from the RKU ChildFund Pass It Back Cup in Japan.

June, 2018 marked the end of the 4th season of Champa Ban powered by ChildFund Pass It Back where more than 80 teams from 3 locations in Laos completed a year of weekly tag rugby and life skills trainings focusing on Gender and Planning for the Future content. “The ChildFund Pass It Back curriculum has ignited rugby in Laos with more than 3,000 registered players participating in regular tag rugby and life skills training and competitions,” announced LRF President Mr. Virayouth Rathikoun. “We are excited to see the curriculum engaging new participants with more than 50% female participation at the player and Coach level and we appreciate the support of our dedicated partners at ChildFund and the Australian Government who are powering the curriculum’s ongoing development and expansion in Laos and the region.”

ChildFund Pass It Back is an innovative sport for development curriculum that has partnered with World Rugby, Asia Rugby, and Women Win to provide integrated rugby and life skills learning opportunities to children and young people in disadvantaged communities across Asia. Pass It Back was developed in Laos with assistance from the LRF and now the LRF is an official implementing partner of ChildFund Pass It Back in Laos and remains a leader among other implementing countries in the region.

After four seasons, the LRF, with support from the Australian Government and ChildFund as well as community sponsors like Asia Rugby and the Pot Bellied Pigs RFC, is expanding with 6 new teams in Vientiane Province set to start ChildFund Pass It Back activities in the new school year alongside new teams in Vientiane Capital and in Paek and Kham Districts in Xieng Khouang Province. “The growth of the sport in Xieng Khouang is exciting since it started in Nonghet District and now many young players and Coaches are eager to get involved in the rugby and life skills work across the Province,” commented LRF’s Xieng Khouang Provincial Rugby Development Coordinator, Ms Lao Khang. “There are many enthusiastic new Coaches from new districts who were trained in June and are excited to get back to their villages and start recruiting new players for the upcoming 2018-2019 season.”

ChildFund Pass It Back Coach training in June, 2018 was the fifth installment of the training which offers intensive rugby and life skills Coach training as well as team management, safeguarding and first aid content for Coaches aged 16-25 years old. The trainings are designed to equip young Coaches with the skills they need to go back to their communities and train youth teams in content from one of four modules including Gender, Planning for the Future, Being Healthy and Feeling Safe. The Coach training saw 70 Coaches trained in ChildFund Pass It Back content where Ms. Viengsamai Souksavanh and Ms. Lao Khang served as educators for new tag rugby Coaches aVer earning their World Rugby Coach Educator accreditations in Hong Kong last month. Thanks to the support of Hong Kong Rugby Union, Sandy Bay U14s and DAC Management for making Souksavanh and Khang’s training and education opportunity possible as the two became the first two Lao women to earn such prestigious international accreditations from the global governing body for the sport of rugby union.

In addition to training new Coaches and expanding to new locations, the LRF was excited to send 6 players and 2 Coaches to the RKU ChildFund Pass It Back Cup in Ibaraki, Japan last month. The players joined forces with players from Vietnam and the Philippines to form the South-East Asian (SEA) Dragons. During the trip the Dragons competed in a tag rugby tournament against students from Japan and participated in leadership and gender life skills activities as well as visiting the sites of Tokyo.

For many Lao players, the trip was their first opportunity to travel beyond Laos. “I want them to know that Lao people have a lot of abilities,” said player Minly. “I want them to see our strengths and that we are at the same level as them.”

All of this was made possible by Australia’s support for the growth of Rugby in Laos. “All kids should have the opportunity to play sports,” says Australian Ambassador to Laos, Mr. Jean-Bernard Carrasco. “Not only does it teach them to be healthy, but sport also teaches them important life skills, teamwork and leadership."

The LRF thanks ChildFund Australia and the Australian Government Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade for making the ChildFund Pass It Back work in Laos possible. The LRF also thanks ChildFund Pass It Back partners, Asia Rugby, World Rugby, Women Win, チャイルド・ファンド・ジャパン (ChildFund Japan) for their ongoing support for the curriculum in Laos.

Thanks also goes to the LRF’s Champa Ban Youth Rugby sponsors including DAC Management LLC. Vientiane College, Pot Bellied Pigs RFC, UK Embassy Vientiane, Irish Embassy in Hanoi, DFDL Legal & Tax, Cairnhill Structures, PROJECX, 1765 Gemini, and DHL for their ongoing contributions to youth rugby in Laos.

We would also like to thank the Friends of Lao Rugby in Hong Kong, led by Kowloon Rugby Football Club and ESF Kennedy School along with Escapade Sports and Streamline Sports, who have worked to raise awareness for rugby in Laos and provide significant support to Champa Ban powered by ChildFund Pass It Back youth players in the form of donated items. Finally, we would like to thank Shrewsbury House School who is running a shoe collection scheme in the United Kingdom which has donated over 700 pairs of shoes and other equipment to Champa Ban players in Laos over the past year.

Read the full “LRF and Australian Embassy Celebrate Growth of ChildFund Pass It Back in Laos” press release here.