Volcanoes Ready to Erupt on the Sevens Circuit
The RNRU has an incredibly talented player base with individuals performing week in and week out across the world! This is no mere hyperbole. The RN has recently had representatives playing 7’s for Wales and Hungary; five Navy Rugby Women are playing for UKAF in New Zealand and joining them on the otherside of the world this month is Jerome Rudder who has been officially called up for the Philippines’ Volcanoes squad ahead of the 2022 Asia Rugby Series.
RNRU 7s Lead Coach and Seniors Backs’ Coach, Silivenusi Buinimasi, had these words for Jerome, “many congratulations on the Volcanoes squadselection. You thoroughly deserve all the accolades on your young rugby journey, mate, and I am sure everyone and especially your parents would be immensely proud of your selection. From all of us here at RN Rugby and especially from RN 7s team a massive BZ and all the best in your up-and-coming season.”
Supported by a contribution from the Naval Service Sports Charity (NSSC), Jerome has a busy couple of months ahead as he jets around the region:
22-23 October 2022 Thailand
19-20 November 2022 South Korea
26-27 November 2022 United Arab Emirates
As he was looking for his passport and packing his bag to depart, he had time to say, “My main preparations have been trying to get my fitness in the best state possible going into the series. I feel good, I feel ready. So, I'm looking forward to it.
For me, to be the best 7s player I can, I need to make sure my fitness levels are the best they can be – it’s another level up from 15s fitness. The difference between 15s training and 7s training for me is less strength focussed work outs and more speed/power focussed with much more fitness training incorporated too.”
When asked who the Volcanoes feared the most, he said, “Japan is definitely the hardest team we face; we've actually never beaten them... but this year is the year we do. Japan is so challenging because they are a fully professional team, they have the luxury of training all year round whereas we only have a short camp before we go into the tournament. Nonetheless we will be watching their game footage and look for weakness in their team/ play style and try exploit that on the pitch. Japan is a team we have to employ specific tactics to beat rather than the traditional 'play our own game and let them worry about us’.”
Austin Dacanay who coaches Jerome and his brother Ellis said, "We are delighted to have Jerome back on tour with the Volcanoes 7s squad in 2022. Jerome displays the core values of the RNRU in his daily behaviors, namely his work ethic, leadership, and commitment to excellence, and is a prime example of a sportsman, serviceman, and countryman. We are confident that as Jerome brings those qualities on and off the pitch as part of the Volcanoes squad, he will make a large contribution to our success in the Asia Rugby Sevens Series in 2022."
Jerome has been involved with all forms of the game and to be capped by your national team is quite the accomplishment. Next stop Thailand!
Words by J Campbell-Baldwin
Images Navy Rugby/ Alligin Photography, Lee Crabb and Mark Deller, and Philippines RFU/ Austin Dacanay