The Philippines and Malaysia Head To Unions Cup 2026 Final

The second matchday of the Unions Cup 2026 saw both favourites and highest-ranked teams, defending champions, the Philippines, and newcomers to the tournament, Malaysia, win their respective Cup semifinals to set up an enticing final on Saturday 18th July in Bangkok.

Photo Credit – CTRU

The Volcanoes’ 33-10 win over Singapore, and the Bunga Raya’s 42-29 defeat of Chinese Taipei saw them progress to the Cup final, but both would have felt like they were in proper Test matches and had to find ways to despatch good opposition.

The Asian Barbarians also beat Laos 71-20 in the 5th place semifinal, while Thailand scored a last-play winner against Guam to come out on top 21-20 in an incredibly tense and tight match to determine the other 5th place semifinal.

Laos 20-71 Barbarian Asia (5th Place SF)

The Baabaas took the lead within 3 minutes with a converted score when fullback Benjamin Audry ran in the first try, before Laos scored their first points in the Unions Cup with a penalty, which were also their first Men’s XV international points since 2017.

The Asian Barbarian team were too strong and powerful and ran in three more tries to lead comfortably 28-3 within half an hour. Lao struck back with their first try of the tournament as centre and Lao-Frenchman Quentin Phayavong scored in his second Test to make it 10-28. They went behind to another try before Brandon Rassavong scored his first try for Lao, also in his second appearance. They trailed 17-33 at the break.

The Baabaas pulled away in the second half, with three tries in the opening 12 minutes before Laos slotted a penalty. The team in black and white ran out 71-20 winners to record their first win as a team in their second-ever performance.

Photo Credit – CTRU

Guam 20-21 Thailand (5th Place SF)

The match was preceded by a moment of silence for the fire tragedy which had taken place in Bangkok this week.

Guam kicked off the match and had the early territory and possession, with their set piece, especially the scrum, looking very dominant. The Thais were forced to defend but found ways to clear their lines as Guam was guilty of sending in solo runners who were picked off in the rucks or making enforced errors in the opposition 22m.

In the 8th minute, Guam decided to take the points on offer with a penalty and led 3-0. Both sides made plenty of handling errors as Thailand looked to get the ball to the edges and Guam were taking it up the guts, but neither could unpick their opponents’ defence. Thailand got their chance to even it up after repeated infringements by Guam, and it was even after the first quarter.

Guam had the Thai scrum backpedalling at times but couldnt make the most of their ascendancy. When the ball did go through the hands of either side, it was followed by mistakes, and it stayed 3-3 by the half.

The second half opened up, and Thailand scored a second penalty to lead 6-3, but from the kickoff, Thailand made a mess of the kick receipt. Guam made huge meters, which led to prop Alden Bordallo go over to lead 10-6 in the 54th minute.

It was the Thais who scored next after patient phase play and pick-and-gos, and they scored a try to take a one-point lead.

Guam’s second row, Amotonu San Nicholas, made an excellent bruising run from 25m out and smashed through three defenders to score under the posts on the hour mark, and the Micronesian led 17-11. 

Both sides continued to make mistakes in attack at crucial times. After spending several minutes camped on Guam’s line,  it was Thailand’s second row who reached over from close range in the 70th minute to score an unconverted try, which meant they still trailed by a point. Guam added three more points from a penalty with around 5 minutes left in the game.

Thailand were desperately looking for a win at home. They went through a dozen phases, spreading the ball coast to coast but Guam’s defence held. Finally the ball went to the left edge, and Thailand found the space and mismatch they had been looking for to allow number 8 Archawin to collect a pass and crash over for the match-winning try.

Thailand Flyhalf Ratchathon said, “Today the game was tough, and Guam was very strong and hard runners and were hard to put down. We played with big hearts and tried to play as much as we could. Even though it was not exactly how we had prepared for this game, we kept persevering.

This is our home, and we can’t give up; we have to play every minute until the end, and we have done that in both games, so I am proud of the team.”

Guam Captain Brian Ramiro told us, “I think we made some good changes and improvements from the first game and made some good steps, but not quite to where we want it to be. You have to love the opportunity to play at this level as it’s been a long time since we have played international XVs rugby.

It’s good that we find ourselves here and get this program going. It’s a short turnaround in terms of the preparation, but once we are here all together it’s very special to be with everyone and from a small island like ours, and we need to enjoy it.”

Streaming Link for Guam vs Thailand / Malaysia vs Chinese Taipei – Rewatch the Games!

Philippines 33-10 Singapore (Cup SF)

An early penalty got the Philippines into a 3-0 lead thanks to Ryan Curtis before Singapore tied it up 3-3 in a close first half. After 25 minutes, Vincent Young scored in the corner to lead 8-3 for the Volcanoes. Ten minutes later, Singapore centre Maurice Wong scored a great solo try to take the lead for the first time, 10-8, but the Philippines slotted a second penalty in the half for a 11-10 lead at the half.

Straight after the break, Young set up Ned Stepheson for the team’s second try to pull out a bigger lead and by the 50th minute had made that 23-10 when Judd Greenhalgh crashed over. A 4th try for the defending champions by Michael Blatteis gave them a cushion, and they kicked a final penalty in the win, which saw the second half played under a deluge of rain.

Singapore Captain Russell Wong told us, “I am proud of the effort of the boys. We did really well for one half, but unfortunately it’s a game of two halves. Keeping in mind we have a young team and a lot of debutants, we matched them physically in the opening 40. In the second half, the Phillipines strike runners did us in. They have a lot of dangerous runners in the team this year.

We need to stick to structure, and in the second half we didn’t do that, and that’s when things fell apart. I put that down to a lack of international experience and discipline, and we need to fix that as we have an amazing coaching setup. I have full confidence in the boys that if we follow the plans laid out by the coaches and their game plan, we can do well.”

Photo Credit – PRFU – Philippines Head Coach Josh Sutcliffe

Philippines Head Coach Josh Sutcliffe said of the game, “It was a real test match, right? Singapore came out with a raised level of intensity, and we were there to match it. So to be a part of a game that’s a real test match, like a real jeopardy. Both teams were trying to impose their will. That was really exciting to be a part of.

Our ill-discipline in the first half really allowed them some easy exits, and they forced errors from us, which meant there was a sort of cut and thrust back and forth.

After halftime, I threw out the challenge to the boys that we really needed to put three to six phases together to create the pressure, and we were able to do that. Once we started doing that, we were able to find some turnovers and create pressure, and then get a couple of tries ahead.”

The Volcanoes co-captains Kai Stroem and Dylan Davies also spoke to us. Stroem said, “In terms of the game strategy and how we wanted to manage the game and play our speed, I think we did that quite well.”

We asked what the turning point at the half was.  Stroem, who plays his rugby in Hong Kong for HKFC, said, “I think the big thing was discipline. Just tidying up around the ruck and making sure we were on the right side of that. Having fitness and the collision fitness to wear them down for 60 minutes cracked them open a little.”

Photo Credit – PRFU

South African-born Davies added, “I think for me, just credit to Singapore. They came out guns blazing in the first half, so it was a proper test match. It’s not often you get to be in those close test matches, so credit to them.

I think from our side, we were just adamant that we wanted to get up in their face. The big thing for us is building that connection between the boys, and I really felt from a defensive standpoint, we really showed up today.

One of the messages from our coach (Josh Sutcliffe) was that it’s not really about the big moments; it’s just more a matter of just grinding them down consistently, and I think the boys did that very, very well.”

Chinese Taipei 29-42 Malaysia (Cup SF)

Photo Credit – CTRU

The match started early as a close arm wrestle, but the Malaysian right wing Muhammad Masif opened scoring in the 16th minute for a 7-0 lead. Chinese Taipei collected themselves and struck next from a powerful scrum that forced the Malaysian pack back, and number 8 Pin-Yi Hsieh scored the unconverted try.

The Malaysian backline is littered with talented players, and a crossfield kick saw the right wing score his second try close to the half an hour mark. A third try for the Bunga Raya’s came from the hooker Muhammad Nabil Ikhwan as he collected a loose ball to run in unopposed. Exceptional hands and speed from the Malaysian backs saw the right wing finish a move and claim his hat-trick in the first half and a lead of 26-5 by the break.

The second half saw some heavy downpours, and Malaysia were running away with the game when they scored a try early.

However, the momentum shifted massively when Malaysia had a player yellow-carded, and Chinese Taipei was awarded a penalty try and quickly scored two more tries from open play to make it 33-24. The Malaysians were struggling under the pressure and did the smart thing by collecting points through penalties when they were on offer to re-establish a 39-24 lead.

Chinese Taipei scored another try to unsettle nerves, but they held for Malaysia, who calmly added three more points to keep the scoreboard ticking and earn the 42-29 win.

Photo Credit – CTRU

Malaysia scrumhalf Hishamuddin Asyraf Razali said: “The boys are happy as we have a lot of new caps and we came in focusing on one game at a time. Thailand gave us a good challenge, and Chinese Taipei were also very physical, but we countered that with our play and good hands.

We want to keep developing the team and get these young boys more experience. We had a good start, but we told the guys out there to concentrate on one phase at a time; there were a lot of plays we didn’t execute the way we wanted. Overall, we are happy as we are in the final.”

Rewatch Lao vs Baabaas Asia & Philippines vs Singapore

Image Credit – TRU

All Set For Finals Day – Unions Cup 2026

The finals will take place on Saturday, 18 July 2026 with all four matches at the same location for the first time; NONPAO – Nonthaburi Provincial Administrative Organisation.

These fixtures are TBC:

• 7th place: Laos vs Guam 9AM KO
• 5th place: Asian Barbarian  vs Thailand 11AM KO
• 3rd place: Singapore vs Chinese Taipei 2PM KO
• Final: Philippines vs Malaysia 4PM KO

How To Watch the Unions Cup 2026

The Thai Rugby Union will stream all the matches on their YouTube channel.

Unions Cup 2026 News

• Unions Cup 2026 Matchday 2 Semifinal Previews.
• Unions Cup 2026 Matchday 1 Reviews.
• Singapore Rugby Tell Us About the Importance of the Unions Cup 2026.
• Unions Cup 2026 Tournament and Team Preview Guide.
• Rob Fogerty is Part of Coaching Setup For Philippines Unions Cup 2026.