A TOTAL of 45 teams will compete in six categories of the 82nd Araw ng Davao Get Into Rugby Festival that kicks off Saturday, March 16, at the Tionko field, Quimpo Boulevard, Barangay 76-A, Davao City.

Philippine Rugby Football Union (PRFU) regional development officer Blessie Kate delos Santos bared this during the Davao Sportswriters Association (DSA) Forum at The Annex of SM City Davao on Thursday, March 14.

She said, "This is the sixth Araw ng Davao edition and this will serve as qualifying or tryout for top players who will form the Davao City team that will compete in the Batang Pinoy 2019 national finals."

The two-day meet features the under-12 touch (elementary boys and girls), u16 touch (secondary boys and girls) and Durians Tag League (juniors and seniors) categories.

In u12 touch, teams will play the single round robin format in the eliminations wherein the top four teams will advance to the Cup Division semifinals. The winners will play their respective divisional championships while the losers will play for third.

In U16 touch and Durians Tag League, the single round robin format will be applied and the top two teams will vie for the title while the next two teams will battle for third.

Delos santos said the top three teams per Cup Division will receive trophies and medals from the city government of Davao through the Sports Development Division of the City Mayor's Office (SDD-CMO). Most valuable players (MVPs) will also receive medals and all participants will receive certificates.

The tournament is also sponsored by PRFU and supported by Deparment of Education Davao City Division, Philippine Sports Commission, Mindanao Rugby Football Development, Inc., SOS Children's Village Davao, Jollibee, DHL, POT Bellied Pigs RFC Hong Kong, Goodsource Business Services, Inc., Davao Sportswriters Association and Girls Got Game Mindanao.