The DAC Lao men’s national team will be ready to face Indonesia at the Asia Rugby Championship Division 3 East test match in Bangkok, Thailand on November 5.
The Lao Rugby Federation (LRF) held a press conference at the Lao Journalists’ Association office last Thursday to report on the team’s preparations before travelling to Thailand.
Previously called the Asian 5 Nations, the Asia Rugby Championship Division 3 East is a premiere rugby 15s competition. With China and Brunei recently pulling out of the competition, Laos will have one test match against Indonesia at the Queen Sirikit 60th Anniversary Stadium.
The Thai Rugby Union will also be fielding a Development Team (with Laos and Indonesia in a different division from the Thai team), and Laos had a warm up match against the Development Team on October 30 at Thammasat University Rangsit Campus in preparation for Saturday’s test match.
The most recent test match for the DAC Lao 15s men’s national team was in 2014 during the Asian 5 Nations Division 3 East competition. Hosted by the LRF at Chao Anouvong Stadium in Vientiane, the Asian 5 Nations competition featured the Chinese, Guam, Indonesian, and Lao national teams. In their second match, the Lao men narrowly lost to Indonesia 11-10.
After two years, the DAC Lao men’s national team looks forward to its rematch against Indonesia in this weekend’s Asia Rugby Championship.
Coached by Head Coach Reweti Montgomery and Assistant Coach Pisa Vongdeuanpheng, the side is made of players from the four senior men’s teams in Laos: the Wild Hogs, Young Stars, Tigers and Buffalos and will be excited to take to the field following the cancellation of the international 15s in 2015.
In preparation for the 15s national team season, these four club teams participated in the LRF’s Colours League Series, an 8-team domestic men’s and women’s senior competition held during September and October, which also gave Head Coach Montgomery the chance to observe the players’ level and skills.
Our team is strong in skill, fitness and character. We have come together well, and we now have some serious attacking power in our structure, he said.
Our goal is to come away with a win and I feel they have what it takes, he added.
LRF thanked long-time Platinum and Elite Sponsor DAC Management LLC for continuing to support the Lao national team and for making the Asia Rugby Championship tour possible.
Source: Vientiane Times
