The Tens’ Tenth

Top men’s and women’s rugby teams from across the globe return for the annual Bangkok International Rugby Tens

THE opportunity to watch great rugby games, socialise, and join in various friendly activities is attracting more attendees to the event every year. This year’s event is expecting to host around 2,000 players, over 100 teams from around the world, and over 5,000 spectators.
    Prominent players at this year’s event include former Springbok captain Bobby Skinstad, former Tongan captain and now TV personality and commentator Willy Lose, South African commentator Dan Nicholl, former Wallaby player Warrick Waugh, and former All Black player Frank Eneri Bunce.
    The event, now in its tenth year, will take place over two days on February 25 and 26, 2017, with a welcome evening held on Friday, February 24, 2017.

Tournament founder, Eddie Evans, was born and raised in Canada and discovered rugby at an early age. He trained throughout school and became evident that he would pursue rugby as a career. He played for the Canadian national time from 1986-1999, won 50 Cups and represented Canada in three World Cups. He went on to play in the UK, New Zealand, and Japan for several seasons before finally retiring in 2001. He then moved to Thailand and founded his company, X-treme Sportsgear Co., Ltd. 
    Wanting to give back to the community, he started planning the first edition of the Bangkok International Rugby Tens in 2004. Today, the tournament is one of the biggest rugby events in Asia and is known around the world. 

    The proceeds from the rugby event go to the Nak Suu Tigers, a rugby programme for underprivileged children co-founded by Eddie Evans. The programme gives children from Bangkok’s slums the opportunity to learn valuable life skills through rugby, providing children with mentoring and vocational training on top of rugby practices, giving these children an opportunity to escape the cycle of poverty and start a new life in the future. 
    This year’s sponsors include Hooters, Four Points By Sheraton Bangkok, RockTape, Sevens Series Singapore, RugbyPass, Bumrungrad Hospital, Bangkok Patana School, APAC Assistance, Health Box, Allied Pickfords, X-treme Sports Gear, Eastin Grand Hotel Sathorn, Nestle Pure Life, S5 Agency World Asia, Flow House, and Midas PR Group.