On Saturday 11th January the U18 Rugby Squad of Regents International School Pattaya travelled to Bangkok to compete in the International Schools Rugby Sevens Festival hosted by Lycee Francais International Bangkok. The squad train on a weekly basis throughout the school year but find competitive games hard to come by due to the lack of suitable opposition on the Eastern Seaboard, so it was somewhat surprising to witness how well they fared against the cream of Bangkok’s rugby playing schools.
Opening fixtures against LFIB and Bangkok Lions were always going to be tough asks but the Regents’ boys played some remarkable rugby under pressure to hold both teams until the dying seconds of each game. At one try apiece in their opener against eventual champions LFIB the match could have swung either way but it was the French boys who broke through a courageous Regents defence to score with the last play of the game from a quickly taken tap penalty.
A Regents’ player tries an end around.
It was a similar story in Regents second game when, at two tries apiece and with only a conversion giving their opponents the slimmest of advantages, the Bangkok Lions’ playmaker seized on a moment of indecision to score as the referee blew for time.
Regents’ Rugby Squad stands proud, ready to take on the opposition.
With two losses from two games lesser teams fold but the effort, commitment, camaraderie and skill of the Regents players was still firmly intact and during the opening exchanges of the Plate Final against the American School, Bangkok it was clear that there would only be one winner: Regents produced the best of displays, characterised by determination and powerful, free flowing rugby to run in five unanswered tries in a one sided game. It was nothing less than the Regents team deserved – a fantastic win against seasoned opponents in their last match of the day!
Regents’ Rugby Squad shows off their power and determination.
