The Unions Cup 2025, which is the second edition of the Men’s 15s tournament, gets underway at the 55,000-seat Kaohsiung National Stadium in Chinese Taipei on Wednesday, 9 July – The games serve as a semifinal fixture in the two-day match format, and we preview what we know so far.
Updated with matchday squads where available.
Leading up to the event, Tropical Storm Danas hit the island, and team preparations have been somewhat hampered, but it appears we have the green light to go ahead, with the conditions still grey and possibly wet this week.
The Unions Cup launched in 2024 with Singapore, Thailand and Chinese Taipei as the respective Unions want more international rugby and have agreed to host on a rotating basis. It was a close series of matches, with Singapore winning on points differential as all teams won one and lost one match in the round-robin format.
There will be an MoU signing before the matches get underway, and it is expected that Guam and Indonesia will likely join. The Guam national team are in Chinese Taipei and played a friendly against the host nation on Friday, 4th July, and plays the Taipei Baboons on Tuesday, 8th July.
There will be two rounds in the 2025 edition, with the semifinals on Wednesday, 9th July and the final placement matches on Saturday, 12th July, all taking place at the same venue.
We will update this as more information is made available. Rugby Asia 247 is on the ground this week to cover the action from Kaohsiung.
Unions Cup 2024 Results
- Singapore 30-8 Thailand
- Thailand 18-12 Chinese Taipei
- Singapore 16-19 Chinese Taipei
Unions Cup 2025 Match 1 – Singapore vs Philippines
The match referee will be Ibuki Tetsuka (JRFU).
Photo Credit – Chinese Taipei Rugby Football Union – captains of the Philippines (blue) and Singapore (red)
Not all the matchday squads have been announced at the time of publishing, but we will update this article if they become available.
Singapore Squad
Defending champions Singapore will get proceedings underway as they take on newcomers to the tournament, the Philippines. The Singapore team are the highest-ranked side in the tournament according to World Rugby at 56th, but the Philippines is only one place behind them.
The Singapore Development XV took on a HKCR Dragons Development team earlier this year and beat them convincingly, but like most national teams in the competition, Test matches have been far and between.
The Singapore Rugby Union (SRU) have selected a squad stacked with SCC players, with as many as 12 representatives, 6 from Bedok Kings and Bicks RFC, and 1 from Wanderers RFC.
Matchday Squad – Singapore vs the Philippines
- TAN Yuh Tai Keith
- Sanjeev Paul SHARMA
- Mohamed Nazarudin BIN OSMAN
- Brannon NOBLE
- Sean Stephen CASEY
- Erik BRYANT
- Russell WONG Yung – Captain
- Christopher Mark HODGES
- Lucius YAU Tze Lun
- Thomas Cardew STREATFEILD-JAMES
- Sean Michael ANDRIESZ
- Andrew Patrick WALLACE
- Roy Tan TONHARDT
- TRIUMFO Lucky Anthony Castillo
- PEH Chang Fong Ray
- Nicholas Syafiq Teo Bin MUHAMMAD RIDWAN TEO
- WONG Koi Yue Mitchell
- Aiman Jianhao Bin IKRAM
- Harresh KRISHNAN
- Declan Gregory Rowsing MARTENS
- Reonne YEO
- Miguel Erwin Besoro WILLIAM
- GOH Tze Hng Isaac
Tournament Squad
-
- Source -SRU
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- Source -SRU
Philippines Squad
The PRFU (Philippines Rugby Football Union) has sent a squad of 26 players to Chinese Taipei, and this week posted online, saying, “Despite ongoing storm conditions and the suspension of work and classes announced last night, the team pressed on with their training, showing relentless commitment ahead of the Unions Cup this July 9 in Kaohsiung, Taiwan.”
Ada Milby, President of the Philippine Rugby Football Union, said, “As the first test match since 2019, we’re proud to see our men’s team competing on this stage and look forward to showcasing the heart, discipline, and resilience that define Philippine Rugby.”
She went on to say via the PRFU, “Test matches like these are crucial for developing our players and building a strong future for 15s rugby in the Philippines.”
Kai Kristian Stroem (who plays in Hong Kong at HKFC) captains the side, and the vice-captain is Craig Alexander Wallace. The Head Coach for the Volcanoes is Joshua Sutcliffe.
Matchday Squad vs Singapore
Source PRFU
1. Thomas REYES
2. James RYAN
3. Lawrence REBOSO
4. Craig Alexander WALLACE – Vice Captain
5. Kian Fernando MULHOLLAND
6. Dylan Duncan DAVIES
7. Christopher FLORES
8. Edlen HERNANDEZ
9. Hamish Roland Henry SEDDON
10. Kai Kristian STROEM – Captain
11. Vincent Francis YOUNG
12. Judd GREENHALGH
13. Ned Ralph STEPHENSON
14. Michael Moses BLATCHIES
15. Patrice David Louis OLIVIER
Reserves: 16. Fausto Martin EIZMENDI (Reserve – Hooker FR) 17. Ken Edvin MELLORIN (Reserve – Prop FR) 18. John Mark CARDENAS (Reserve – Prop FR) 19. Mathew Conrad BELLENIE (Reserve – FR) 20. Connor Augustus David BROWNE (Reserve) 21. Johnathan Paul GREENWOOD (Reserve) 22. Kohei MITSUHASHI (Reserve) 23. Jovan King Jasper MASALUNGA (Reserve)
Staff:
- Head Coach – Joshua Sutcliffe
- Assistant Coach – Tommy Gilbert
- Team Manager – Lalaine Bacus
- Physiotherapists – David Adamson and Jun Whei Cheah.
Unions Cup 2025 Match 2 – Chinese Taipei vs Thailand
The match referee is Just Wang from Singapore Rugby.
Photo Credit – Chinese Taipei Rugby Football Union
Chinese Taipei
The 2024 Unions Cup runners-up and hosts, Chinese Taipei, will play Thailand in the second match. The national team is ranked 64th by World Rugby and higher than the Thais, but in 2024, it was Thailand who edged them in a close match.
*Numbers dictate their playing position; no team sheet is available at this point.
- Li-En Hong (1)
- Tai-Ting Yeh (1)
- Chia-Yu Liu (2)
- Cheng-Yu Yeh (3)
- Zheng-Zhao Gao (3)
- Sean Gabriel Gilhawley (4)
- Chien-Jung Ou (5)
- Yu-Chia Liu (5)
- Zanh-Hao Huang (6)
- Pin-Gui Huang (6)
- Wen-I Hsu (7)
- Ming-Ye Lu (8)
- Zong-Min Zeng (8)
- Chun-Chi Chen (9)
- Yuan-Yu Chen (10)
- Jun-Yi Lin (11)
- Chia-Hsien Wang (12)
- Yi-Kai Huang (13)
- Kai-Jie Su (14)
- Chia-Jung Shih (15)
- Sheng-En Ma (16)
- Li Sheng-Yan (17)
- Yu-Sheng Hu (18)
- Bi-Fu Tsai (19)
- Chun-Chieh Li (20)
- Yu-Hao Chen (21)
- Li-Yong Lin (22)
- Yuan-Cheng Huang (23)
Thailand Squad
The Thai side is bolstered by several eligible foreign-born players for this tournament selected by Head Coach Pol. Lt. Somjet Anusan. He said their inclusion is “very important to have in the team….with their potential and abilities, they will be able to make a difference” (via Google Translate). The players come from the Bangkok Bangers and Southerners Rugby clubs, in addition to the bulk of the squad, who are Thai.
One notable name will be Gareth George (brother to England hooker Jamie George) and he played in the tournament last year and scored a try.
The Thai Rugby Union (TRU) said the selection process had “good cooperation from all clubs in the selection of more than 60 players” in the training camps
The domestic Thai Men’s 15s leagues recently finished, so the players should be in good condition going straight into the national team setup. The Thai team finished 3rd last year among three teams and is the lowest ranked by World Rugby, in 75th place.
The tournament squad includes 15 members from the Police Club, six members from the Navy Club, four from the Bangkok Bangers, and 1 each from the Army Club, Air Force Club, and Southerners.
Tournament Squad:
Police Club
- Police Captain Pitchapong Phlaibua
- Police Captain Wuttikorn Kaewkhieo
- Police Captain Peeraphon Chukon
- Police Captain Yossakorn Watcharakongsak
- Police Lieutenant Ananop Inphrom
- Police Lance Corporal Peeraphong Sukprasert
- Mr. Supravee Jongcharoenchaisakul
- Mr. Atchawin Klipkaew
- Mr. Kritphat Phingkarawat
- Mr. Worawit Kaewphangnga
- Mr. Ittikorn Tangsuk
- Mr. Jakkarin Sirabanchongkran
- Mr. Aran Rattanakal
- Mr. Thanachot Anekjin
- Mr. Waratchaya Wongrat
Royal Navy Club
- Lieutenant Krit Prapawi
- Chief Petty Officer First Class Panupong Puangphan
- Petty Officer Second Class Saharat Chanmuang
- Volunteer Defence Corps Officer Lattaphon Lomngon
- Volunteer Defence Corps Officer Khunakorn Pinsuwan
- Volunteer Defence Corps Officer Koetkao Wetchokitikon
Bangkok Bangers
- Gareth Curtis George
- Travis John Clements
- Mitchell Wise
- Darryn Mathee
Army Club
- Pathompong Usadi
Air Force Club
- Petty Officer Third Class Sarut Chanda
Southerners
- Mr. Leonard Coertse Batt
Management
- Police Colonel Suwat Koetkaew – Team Manager
- Colonel Witchaphong Jindasawat – Coach
- Police Lieutenant Somjet Anusan – Coach
- Mr. Phatara Hongsayaporn – Coach
- Mr. Naphat Suphanpong – Physiotherapist
- Mr. Thanis Tantiwat – Physiotherapist
Unions Cup 2025 Fixtures
Wednesday, July 9 2025 (local times shown)
- M1 Singapore vs Philippines – KO 16:00
- M2 Chinese Taipei vs Thailand – KO 18:00
Saturday, July 12 2025
- M1-Loser vs M2-Loser (3rd Place Playoff) – KO 16:00
- M1-Winner vs M2-Winner (Final) – KO 18:00
Source – PRFU
How To Watch The Unions Cup 2025
The matches will be broadcast and free to watch on YouTube.
Asian International 15s Rugby News
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