Pakistan & Thailand Lock Horns in Asia Rugby Division II Clash in Lahore

Asia Rugby Returns to Play: Division II Match Marks First Asia Rugby Test after 1,064 Days

Pakistan and Thailand are all set to battle for a chance at promotion to Asia Rugby’s top tier Championship in a two-test Division II clash in Pakistan getting underway on Sunday 29th May, with the second Test to be played on 1st June, 2022.

Results and Fixture: Asia Rugby Men’s Division 2 2022

This leg of the Championship represents a landmark as far Asia Rugby’s post-pandemic ‘Return to Play’ strategy: it marks 1,064 days since Asia Rugby last hosted a test match. “Three years is a long time for a sport to be dormant. It is great for Asia Rugby… to get back on track again. If you want to grow the game, you must see some great international clashes to showcase the best talent available. Giving players the opportunity to grow and test themselves against the best,” comments Pakistan Head Coach Gert Mulder.

Mulder, who is overjoyed at the prospect of his team returning to the field, adds: “We saw back in my home country, South Africa, that we had a huge increase in player numbers on all levels getting back on the rugby fields after Covid. I believe we will see the same phenomenon all over the world. That said, I do not think it was difficult to get players on the pitch again; they want to play and they want to represent their country. The main concern was to get the players strength and conditioning up to standard to prevent injuries and get the players battle ready.”

Things are heating up in Lahore in every sense as anticipation, preparations and excitement peak ahead of the first Test. The Pakistan Rugby Union hosted a press conference the day before the opening fixture, which was well covered by both the electronic and print media.

Both matches are being played at the Punjab Stadium in Lahore, commencing at 7.30 p.m. local time. Entry for the public is free and all officials and players at the Press Conference warmly welcomed Lahoris to come experience the excitement of international rugby in their own back yard.

Moreover, Pakistan Captain Hammad Safdar and PRU President Arif Saeed encouraged the public to come to the stadium to support the national team in these crucial encounters. The matches will also be live-streamed on Asia Rugby’s Facebook and Youtube pages. Click on the link below to catch all the action LIVE: