Sport | Rugby
Five Nations Division III kicks off
The final tournament in the 2009 HSBC Asian Five Nations (A5N), Asia's premier rugby competition, began yesterday with the kick-off of the Division III championship in Manila, Philippines.
- Staff Report
- Published: 22:48 July 2, 2009
Manila: The final tournament in the 2009 HSBC Asian Five Nations (A5N), Asia's premier rugby competition, began yesterday with the kick-off of the Division III championship in Manila, Philippines.
Yesterday's action saw the top seed the Philippines take on fourth seed Iran, while second seed Guam faced third seed Indonesia.
Reflecting the growth of Asian rugby and the competitiveness of the HSBC Asian Five Nations, the Division III tournament was launched this year featuring four teams drawn from last year's three regional competitions: the Philippines, the winners of the 2008 HSBC A5N regional tournament in Guam; Guam, runners-up in their home tournament last year; Indonesia, winners of the Jakarta Regional Tournament in 2008; and Iran, winners of the regional tournament in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan in 2008.
Guam beat Indonesia 23-3 in the first encounter, while top seeds Philippines beat Iran 15-0 to advance to tomorrow's final against Guam.
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