RUGBY: Several talented local youngsters travelled to Chiang Mai recently to take part in the CNX7s rugby tournament, performing with distinction in what was a tough competition.
Hosted by Laana Rugby Club at the Yaowarate Sport Club & Resort on the weekend of Sept 20-21, both boys and girls from the Phuket Piranhas youth team were in action to represented the province in style.
Playing for the girls were 14-year-olds Saacha Kang, Yuna Coffey, Maia Dubois and 15-year-old Evie Layard, who were coached by 17-year-old Aelia Noret, while 14-year-old Julian Noret and 12- year-old Arjan Kang respresented the boys.
Waking up in hot and humid conditions in Chiang Mai, the players were a mix of excitement and nerves, ready for two long days of rugby action ahead. Arriving at the ground, they were immediately taken by the beautiful green pitch cut to perfection, although they quickly remembered hadn’t come to admire the grass but to show everyone what Phuket rugby has to offer.
Despite a lack of players in general the true spirit of rugby shone through with clubs coming together to mix and match and help guarantee that all players had a team to run out for, with Arjan joining the Singapore Irish Rugby Clubs in the U-12 age category and Julian stepping up age wise to play for Lanna Rugby Club U16s.
While Arjan’s first game resulted in a hard-fought loss against Ban Huay Pu Mae Ai, the team fared much better in the next contest as they defeated Lanna Blue 28-0. Their next group opponents, The Vikings, failed to turn up for their fixture meaning they forfeited and Singapore Irish were awarded an automatic win. In their last game of day one they played the Bangkok Lions and put in some nice tackles, nice runs and nice teamwork to pull off a win of 33-0.
Valiant fight
The only official Piranhas team in name involved was on the girls side where, with the addition of several players from Tanglin Rugby Club from Singapore, they debuted against the Singapore Irish U14s, managing to come out victorious in only their second ever touring tournament. The team beat Laana Rugby Club in their second game but unfortunately lost their winning streak when playing Singapore Irish for a second time that day, despite putting up a valiant fight.
The four Piranhas’ girls were doubling up as they also turned out for the Tanglin girls U16 team, who were also in need of some extra players. They had a great start against Singapore Irish who put up a strong battle but were eventually outplayed. Despite it being their first match, they showed great teamwork and continued the day in high spirits, powering through to win all of their group games.
The fact that the U14 games followed merely minutes after the U16 contests put an extra strain on the girls, who were forced to change their kits rapidly before switching fields for the next game, although they performed brilliantly throughout.
High spirits
Waking on day two exhausted but eager for more rugby action, the Piranhas contingent headed off to Yaowarate Sport Club & Resort in high spirits.
First off was a semi-final clash for Arjan and the Singapore Irish Rugby Clubs U-12 team, which they won comfortably 26-0 to set up a tough final showdown gainst RPG 30, a small, fast, agile and nimble side who were especially good in the tackle. However, after the ball was won from a ruck, it was played to local lad Arjan who who just managed to stretch over the line to make it 5-0, before successfully slotting home the conversion to make it 7-0.
Singapore Irish believed they had done enough to resist the constant pressure before RPG 30 scored a try in the final minute, meaning a successful conversion would result in a tie. In a moment that felt like hours but was merely a matter of seconds, the kicker missed and Singapore Irish had the U12 trophy in the bag.
Day two brought tougher competition for the U14 Piranha and Tanglin team, who lent on experienced advice, skill, knowledge, support and motivation from their coach Aelia to push through each struggle and proceed to impress everyone watching. The Piranhas ended up losing their final after leaving it all on the pitch but still managed to place 2nd for their age group, a fine achievement, especially after the four girls had been so instrumental in helping the U16 team remain unbeaten to secure first place.
The Piranhas’ Julian Noret played for Lanna Rugby Club in the boys U16 age group and he impressed by using his many strengths to his advantage, such as his amazing passing, his fast and agile movement and his ability to read the game to make an impact. Although they didn’t get the win that they were hoping for, it was a hard fought tournament and hopes are high for next time.
By the end of the tournament all the Phuket players had pushed their limits, represented the Piranhas with pride, and left Chiang Mai with plenty to be proud of. For many, it was a chance to develop their skills, gain match experience and enjoy playing competitive rugby in a new environment.
The Piranhas will be forever grateful to Laana Rugby Club, Matt Hirst and Jason Bray for providing the opportunity to experience such an amazing international tournament and they look forward to the next adventure with Tanglin, Singapore Irish and anyone else that wants to experience the Phuket Piranhas’ journey. For more details visit the Phuket Piranhas Rugby Instagram page at @phuketpiranhas.rugby.