Chinese Taipei

Another surprising result from the 2010 HSBC A5N was the relegation of Chinese Taipei to the Division II competition.  Chinese Taipei is another traditional powerhouse in Asian rugby.  What remains to be seen if Chinese Taipei’s plan to blood a laundry list of new players in the Division I competition last year in Singapore will pay off in the long-run.  The first indication of this will be if the team regains promotion to Division I in 2012.  To do this, they will have to surpass India, Thailand and Iran this month in Thailand.

A match to watch will be the Division II debut of Iran as they open their account against Chinese Taipei.  While not the most experienced rugby side in A5N competition, Iran brings a physicality to the game that may test the Chinese Taipei team early on.

India               

After a long build-up for the Commonwealth Games in New Delhi in 2010, Rugby India will eager to show the benefits of its hard-earned experience in 2011. After reaching the finals of the Division II last year in front of its home crowds at the Commonwealth Games Rugby Stadium, India will be intent on going one step further this year in pursuit of its first tournament win in the HSBC A5N.

Thailand

Hosting the HSBC A5N for the first time since the inaugural year of 2008, when Thailand became the first ever team to gain promotion in the Asian 5 Nations, the Thailand Rugby Union will be keen to make home advantage count as they look to return to Division I for the first time since 2009. 

TRU was one of the founding unions of the Asian Rugby Football Union in 1968 and has a long and colourful rugby tradition. This history was extended in 2008 when the brave Thais became the first team to win promotion in A5N history when they topped Division II.

This year Thailand also enjoys distinction as the first ever neutral host of a Top 5 test match in the history of the A5N as they welcome Asia’s top two teams, Japan and Kazakhstan, at the national stadium.

Iran

One of the surprise packages of Asian rugby, Iran was promoted from regional level in 2008 to Division III in 2009 and has continued to show remarkable progress for a nation largely new to the game. Although dropping the Division III final to the hosts in Manila in 2009, Iran made up for it last year in Jakarta when they toppled Pakistan in a rain-drenched encounter to secure their promotion to Division II in 2011. 

Under former AGRFU national coach Wayne Marsters, the Iran XV will be looking to make its biggest impact yet in Asian rugby when it takes on one of the old guards of Asian rugby Chinese Taipei this month in Thailand.  Iran will look to use its size to its advantage against the nous of Chinese Taipei and will be focused on continuing its successful ascent of Asia’s rugby ladder.