100 World Legends Ambassadors pay the foundations for future projects to help Lao Rugby Federation

100 World Legends Ambassadors pay the foundations for future projects to help Lao Rugby Federation

The 100 World Legends Ambassadors Frank Bunce, Paddy Johns and Junior Paramore Tour Laos

Vientiane, 19 February, 2018: The Lao Rugby Federation is excited to announce the success of the 100 World Legends’ tour to Laos in February, 2018, featuring retired international rugby players Paddy Johns of Ireland, Junior Paramore of Samoa, and Frank Bunce of New Zealand. With the support of DAC Management LLC, Cairnhill Structures, ProjecX, and Gemini 1765, the Legends engaged players, coaches and officials across youth and club rugby and leadership development in Laos, bringing rugby knowledge and international recognition to the sport.

In line with the 100 World Legends’ goal of providing retired rugby legends opportunities to continue contributing to the game they love, the impact that Paddy Johns, Frank Bunce, and Junior Paramore have had on rugby in Laos is already being felt throughout the Lao Rugby community. The Legends began their tour to Laos by participating in the 2018 DHL Vientiane International Rugby Championship as both players and guest coaches. While the former internationals certainly impressed on the pitch, their work to bring profile and sponsorship support to the LRF’s Champa Ban Youth programme and to act as guest coaches for youth teams during the competition provided impressive support to Lao players and leaders of the game during the competition.

In addition to acting as players and guest coaches for the junior club sides at the 2018 DHL Vientiane International Rugby Championship, the three Legends attended the 2018 Legends’ Welcome, an event held the night of 3 February and attended by numerous LRF supporters from Vientiane, Hong Kong, Bangkok, and beyond. At the 2018 Legends’ Welcome, the Legends discussed their visit to Laos and heard updates from Lao Rugby staff regarding the ongoing growth of rugby in Laos. Finally, the LRF was excited to premier the 2017 Year in Review video, displaying the numerous successes ofLao Rugby in 2017 and currently available on Youtube (English: http://bit.ly/2Bz9Rr7; Lao: http://bit.ly/2ED7pCB).

Following the conclusion of the 2018 DHL Vientiane International Rugby Championship, the Legends joined a trip to rural Xieng Khouang Province to support the LRF’s Champa Ban powered by ChildFund Pass It Back youth rugby programme. Over the course of three days, the Legends attended a Champa Ban powered by ChildFund Pass It Back youth rugby competition, led a rugby training at a local school, and observed a Champa Ban powered by ChildFund Pass It Back session where Lao Rugby coaches utilized the unique rugby and life skills curriculum that was developed in Xieng Khouang Province. The Legends also attended a film screening at the Mines Advisory Group and visited the Plain of Jars, learning more about the history of the area and experiencing firsthand theimportance of expanding rugby in Xieng Khouang Province.

In addition to sharing their playing and coaching skills with the Lao Rugby community, each of the Legends secured a sponsor for an LRF Champa Ban powered by ChildFund Pass It Back team for the 2018 season.

ProjecX sponsored Frank Bunce to make the trip to Laos and the Vientiane Little Bears to participate in one year of the ChildFund Pass It Back rugby and life skills curriculum. Thanks to Cairnhill Structures, Junior Paramore could travel to Laos and Vientiane P & T can also participate in a year of the LRF’s Champa Ban powered by ChildFund Pass It Back program. DAC’s support for Paddy Johns made his trip to Laos possible and makes it possible for the Vientiane Little Bees, Vientiane Petsahkat, and Vientiane B-Boys teams to participate in a year of rugby and life skills programming. Gemini 1765 also supported the Legends’ visit and the Vientiane Wolf Knights team to participate in one year of the ChildFund Pass It Back curriculum content and competitions as part of the LRF’s Champa Ban youth rugby programme.

Not only did the Legends help in securing the sponsors for the teams and for more than 50 young players to participate in a year of rugby but over the course of the tour, Paramore, Bunce, and Johns were able to see firsthand the impact that rugby is having on communities in Laos. Thanks to the support of the 100 World Legends, ProjecX, Cairnhill Structures, DAC, and Gemini 1765, the Lao Rugby Federation has experienced an uptick in global recognition paired with the financial support needed to sustain the ongoing growth of rugby in Laos. The Lao Rugby Federation would like to thank Junior Paramore, Frank Bunce, Paddy Johns, and the 100 World Legends organization for their generosity and passion for the development of rugby in Laos and looks forward to future engagements with the charity project and to continuing the Champa Ban work for the teams participating each week in Laos thanks to the Legends and their sponsors .

The 100 World Legends plans for next year will be to sponsor a total of 30 Pass It back programmes. and Help Lao Rugby Federation to continue their great work and extend their programmes into other regions of Laos.

We will be taking a total of 20 High profile players with us in 2019. and will be looking for Business sponsors to get involved and sponsor one or more Pass t back programmes., at a cost of £2000- which covers the cost for a entire year for that village/area programme.  so much good work can be achieved with so little,

to get involved email me at rugbyvets@hotmail.com

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