Tokyo 2020: Philippines’ rugby sevens players learn national anthem ahead of Olympic qualifiers and SEA Games
- Captain Rob Fogerty says it is an ‘insult to the women who brought us into the world’ if they fail to learn the words
- The Volcanoes are competing in this weekend’s Olympic qualifiers in Incheon, South Korea and the SEA games on home soil
Their Filipino mothers brought them into this world and it is only right that they learn the country’s national anthem.
Most of the Philippines Volcanoes rugby sevens team are mixed race; players who have lived abroad for most of their lives and had little or no connection with the Filipino culture – until now.
Rugby has brought together players of Filipino heritage from all over the world and captain Rob Fogerty said it was time they learned Lupang Hinirang (Chosen Land) so they could sing it with all their hearts at the weekend’s Asia Olympic qualifiers in Incheon, South Korea and the Southeast Asian Games on home soil next month.
“Most of us have to learn it,” said Fogerty, who posted clip on Facebook of the team practising the anthem. “Within the group there are some boys who have not lived in the Philippines and some whose mothers have had more influence on their Philippines culture than others.
“We have the Olympics and SEA Games coming up it would be an insult to the women who brought us into this world if we don’t even know the national anthem. It’s something we put in place and it’s working. The boys are picking it up.”
The Volcanoes will be among the favourites for gold at the SEA Games in Clark City but Fogerty said their sole focus this week was to win the Olympic qualifier, which also features Hong Kong.
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“We know there is a potential lifeline if we finish second or third but realistically, we have a better chance in Incheon where we are familiar with all the teams because we have played them before in the Asia Sevens Series,” Fogerty said.
“If we were to play in the repechage, it would be against the likes of Chile, Tonga and Jamaica who we are not as familiar with.”
