Hong Kong’s large Filipino community comprises mostly of hard-working domestic helpers who send most of their wages back home.
According to national rugby general manager Jake Letts, Filipino rugby works the same way.
“One of the biggest income generators for the Philippines is Overseas Foreign Workers or ‘OFWs’, and that’s basically our system for rugby,” explained 31-year-old Letts. “Everyone in our top 12 for this campaign is an overseas player that qualified to play for us – usually by having a Filipino mother.”
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In fact, Letts fits this bill himself, having played for the national team for 13 years. Born to an Australian father and Filipino mother, he is arguably the most accomplished international player in the country’s history.
“I actually stopped playing a little earlier than I would have liked, but the opportunity [to become general manager] was too good to pass up,” said Letts, who took on the rolelast year. “I studied sports and management in university so I always knew I was eventually going to work in sports administration.”
Jake Letts running out for the Philippines Volcanoes. Photo: Handout
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According to Letts, it is remarkable that the Philippine Volcanoes have risen from obscurity to become the third-ranked rugby nation in Asia, and are playing in the Cathay Pacific/HSBC Hong Kong Sevens for the first time since2012. Because of the country’s lack of a professional programme, most players have to take time off work and pay out of pocket to fly home and train with the team.
