TIGERS UNITED

Asia Rugby announced that the competitions calendar for 2021 will be adjusted to a five sub-regions sevens competitions. Aiming at returning to play, the idea will provide meaningful opportunities for participation to all the 34 member unions in its respective sub-regional competition. As a result, the following tournaments are cancelled. - Asia Rugby Sevens Trophy Men’s - Asia Rugby Sevens Trophy Women’s - Asia Rugby Men’s Division 3 - Asia Rugby Women’s Division 1 - Asia Rugby U19 Division 1 - Asia Rugby U19 Division 2 Asia Rugby Executive Committee, Asanga Seneviratne said “Taking into consideration the travel restrictions and after taking advice from the Players Welfare and Medical Committee, the Competitions Committee felt that sub-regional cross border 7s competitions are the best option for Return to Play and for starting the International Calendar.” RUGBY ASIA The decision were made after extensive discussions among Asia Rugby's committees and sub-committees in line with...

World Rugby and hosts South Africa Rugby today confirmed Rugby World Cup Sevens 2022 in Cape Town will take place from 9-11 September, 2022. The eighth edition is the first to be hosted in Africa with organisers anticipating a very special and record-breaking event at the iconic 57,654 capacity Cape Town Stadium. Rugby World Cup Sevens 2022 will be contested by 24 men’s and 16 women’s teams. The top eight men’s teams and top four women’s teams from the hugely successful RWC Sevens 2018 in San Francisco, USA, have already secured automatic qualification for the tournament in 2022. RUGBY ASIA The qualified teams for the men’s event are defending champions New Zealand , England , South Africa , Fiji , Argentina , USA , France , Scotland , while defending champions New Zealand, France, Australia and USA have already booked their tickets to the women’s event in Cape Town. South Africa’s women will join them as the host nation. Teams that have not qualified automatically will do so via t...

What could have been a Manchester total domination of Europe 2021 became exactly the opposite. Manchester City squandered the best chance to secure their first Champions League Final win when they lost to Chelsea 2 - 1 last night. This is a major bummer to the City of Manchester when their Red neighbors also lost out on a spectacularly in the Europa League Final just 48 hours earlier. Chelsea’s Kai Havertz repaid some of his huge transfer fee as his first-half goal sealed a 1-0 win for his side over Manchester City in the Champions League final on Saturday. The German youngster, Chelsea’s record signing, latched on to Mason Mount ’s pass and evaded City keeper Ederson before rolling the ball into an empty net just 3 minutes before halftime.  Premier League champions City were favourites ahead of the final but suffered a desperately disappointing night in Estadio do Drago, Porto in what was their first Champions League final. Pep Guardiola ’s side were never allowed to play th...

"Football, bloody hell!” This was quoted by Sir Alex Ferguson on  Manchester United 's dramatic Champions League final victory over Bayern Munich in 1999. The same quote came and haunt them exactly 22 years later when United was beaten at the final of  Europa League  in the night of 26 May 2021. United 2nd in the Premier League, is the favorite to clinch this trophy where  Villarreal  looked bewildered in the La Liga sitting only at 7th place in the table not even made the cut in any of the European Tournament. But Villarreal, against all the odds have won the Europa League after defeating Manchester United 11-10 in a penalty shoot-out after drew 1 all in the 90 minutes leading up to the shootout. Neither side able to find the winner after extra-time, the game headed to penalties in front of 9,500 fans at the Stadion Miejsk in Gdansk. In form and evergreen striker  Edinson Cavani 's strike cancelled out  Gerard Moreno 's first-half effort paying it for...

Phil Mickelson made history by winning the 103rd PGA Championship , becoming the oldest major champion in history. The Hall of Fame player finished two shots ahead of Brooks Koepka and Louis Oosthuizen at Kiawah Island's Ocean Course , following an excellent final round performance, finishing six-under for the tournament. On the final day, Mickelson started with just a shot ahead of Koepka, the competition tightened up even more in the early holes of Sunday's round. As the pressure was on, Oosthuizen's birdied to reduce the gap. SUFI SUPER YACHTS Then Mickelson produced a 366-yard drive on the 16th hole, the longest drive on that hole by any player all week. It resulted in an all-important birdie, once again stretching his lead to three shots, which nervously was reduced to two, moments later. The scene on the final hole was amazing. Surrounded by thousands of fans, Mickelson two-putted his name into the history books. By winning at aged 50, Mickelson surpassed the recor...

Toulouse won the European Champions Cup for a record fifth time after a narrow victory over 14-man La Rochelle in front of 10,000 fans at Twickenham. La Rochelle's Levani Botia was sent off for a dangerous tackle after 30 minutes but his side led 12-9 after the first half. Toulouse went ahead with Juan Cruz Mallia 's try after the hour mark. The try and a fifth penalty by Romain Ntamack looked to have given Toulouse a comfortable win over their tiring opponents, but first-time finalists La Rochelle fought back bravely. Tawera Kerr-Barlow got a late try for La Rochelle but Toulouse held on. La Rochelle could have won the match if Ihaia West did not hit the post from a penalty and a conversion kick. The win gave Toulouse their first victory in the competition since 2010, making them the first French side to win the title since Toulon six years ago. Skipper Antoine Dupont was named European player of the year for his role in the team's success. RUGBY ASIA ONLINE MAGAZI...

Atletico Madrid  ended a seven years wait to win  La Liga  title on Saturday.  Luis Suarez  was the hero as he fired them to a 2-1 comeback win at  Real Valladolid , which secured them the Spanish championship. The win placed Athletico on top of the league table with two points more than city rivals Real Madrid. Valladolid took the lead in the 18th minute when  Oscar Plano  slotted past  Jan Oblak  in a counter attack. Atletico tried to bounce back but missed a series of clear opportunities. However, in the 57th  Angel Correa  broke through the opponents' defence to score the equaliser. Ten minutes later, Suarez delivered the winner and put Atletico on their way to a victory. Real Madrid  beat  Villareal  2-1 at home and could have snatched the title away if Athletico failed to win. At the end, Atletico have been amazing this season and deserved to be the Champions of Spain. Suarez, who joined Atletico last year ...