Rugby: Philippine Volcanoes soar in rankings after win in Colombo

The International Rugby Board released its new rankings Monday, where the Philippines achieved its highest ranking in two years. The Volcanoes climbed to 52nd in the world, just two years after debuting at 72nd in 2012.

The new ranking came a day after the Philippines earned an emotional 26-25 win against Sri Lanka.

“Our boys showed a lot of resilience and character. I’m very proud of our team for never giving up. The culture & brotherhood that the Volcanoes have is something special to be a part of .It’s great to finally give our supporters a win.” said team captain Oli Saunders.

The win also ensured the the Philippines would not end up in last place in the Elite division.

The Volcanoes have another chance to climb even higher with a home game against Asian juggernauts South Korea (26th) on Saturday at the Southern Plains Field in Laguna.

The winner of the match will earn a third place finish in the A5N Premier Division, while the losing team will join Sri Lanka in Division 1 next year.

The Philippines started its A5N campaign by getting shutout 108-0 by Asian powerhouse Hong Kong on April 26 at the Hong Kong Football Club Stadium. They hosted Japan and lost 99-10 defeat earlier this month, before salvaging a road win against Sri Lanka at the Race Course Rugby Grounds. - Renee Avena Fopalan / AMD, GMA News