Women’s 7s Olympic Final Will Be Played On Iconic ‘Super Saturday’!

The Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games are just two years away and the dates for the Olympic 7s tournament have been confirmed by World Rugby.

Sevens made an impressive Olympic Games debut at Rio 2016 with Australia’s women claiming the first rugby gold medal since the 1924 Games and Fiji’s men claiming their nation’s first-ever Olympic medal, with an historic gold.

The International Olympic Committee has approved the competition schedule for all 33 sports at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games and rugby sevens will again feature in the first week of competition with matches being played across six days of two sessions per day from 27 July to 1 August, 2020.

In a reverse of the Rio 2016 format, the men’s competition will be played over the first three days, while the women’s competition will take place over the final three days, with the medals day being played on the iconic ‘Super Saturday’.

World Rugby Chairman Bill Beaumont said: “This is the moment that the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games comes alive for our players and fans around the world. With two years to go, the competition dates are set, excitement is building, and I am anticipating an outstanding sevens and Games.

“By alternating the schedule, the world’s top women’s teams have the opportunity to shine on ‘Super Saturday’, the biggest moment of the Games, which is extremely exciting for the advancement and popularity of women’s sevens.”

Additional reporting and images: World Rugby

Hong Kong v Japan World Cup Qualifier @ HK Football Club – 17 December, 2016

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What an 8 days!!
Today’s match ended in defeat to Japan 20-8, but barring the first 8 minutes Hong Kong held their own against a talented Japanese side. A significant improvement on the Asian Championships when HK were soundly beaten in both games.

In truth this was a good game to lose, amidst the two World Cup pools there looks to be one winnable game for either Japan or Hong Kong and that is Wales – and they’re in Pool C with Canada, New Zealand and Hong Kong.

A lot of work to do between now August 2017, hopefully the HK Rugby Union will properly fund the players and their training! This is a magnificent achievement. Congratulations to the whole squad and the coaches!!!
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Pride In The Shirt

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Hong Kong’s historic qualification for the 2017 Women’s Rugby World Cup “sets a real precedent about the potential we have in Hong Kong,” said coach Jo Hull after watching Japan beat Fiji on Tuesday – completing the line-up for next year’s showpiece in Ireland.

Hull’s side opened the three-team qualifying tournament with a 45-7 win over Oceania qualifiers Fiji, and with Japan beating the Pacific Island nation 55-0, Hong Kong are guaranteed a place at next year’s 12-team tournament alongside the Asian champions Japan.

It marks the first-time any Hong Kong team will feature at a fifteen-a-side World Cup. “It’s huge; it’s hard to put it into words. For Hong Kong women’s rugby, hopefully it is going to be a huge turnaround and encourage youngsters and women to get involved and play in that Hong Kong jersey and take a lot of pride in that,” said Hull after having watched Japan run in eight tries against Fiji at King’s Park.

https://youtu.be/IVknFGHm11U

Hong Kong face the Asian champions on Saturday at Hong Kong Football Club to determine the winner of the qualifier and will be looking to avenge their defeats in the Asia Rugby Championship earlier this year.

“We are happy with qualifying for the World Cup, but we are focused on our next task. Japan play the Japan style and are fast and play at a high tempo,” said Hong Kong captain Chow Mei-nam.

“We will look to do our own jobs and play our own style to beat them. We are confident to beat them and be the first team in Asia.”

The winner on Saturday will join hosts Ireland as well as France and Australia in pool C of the tournament which takes place between 9-16 August next year, with those three teams “huge in terms of their skill level” according to Hull.

The runner-up will join 2014 second place finishers Canada, New Zealand and Wales in pool A, which Hull believes “is undoubtedly the most physical pool,” with defending champions England, the USA, Italy and Spain drawn in pool B.

“It will be pretty amazing for these girls. Whoever we play against, it is just about being the best we can be and being in that environment and enjoying it, but most importantly representing Hong Kong and taking pride in that,” added Hull.

“A lot of the girls have played these teams at sevens, but to come together and play them at fifteens will be an amazing experience. We want to do well. We don’t just want to turn up; having earned our place, we want to justify being there.”

Next year will represent a third World Cup appearance for Hull who was assistant coach for Scotland in 2006 before returning four years later as performance manager.

“Going to a World Cup is an experience you will never get in any other walk of your life. It is three weeks of intense pressure, but it is an amazing three weeks, surrounded by amazing athletes and coaches and a really high performance culture. It is about celebrating how far women’s rugby has come,” she said.

“Both my experiences showed how competitive and how far the women’s game has come. To be there you have to be prepared. You have to be ready for the pressure, and you have to be able to perform at the right time.

“We are not getting ahead of ourselves and saying we can go and win the World Cup, but if we are there, we want to give a good account of ourselves for Hong Kong so we get young kids, girls and women saying they want to be there in 2021,” Hull added.

Hong Kong v Japan
Women’s World Cup Qualifier
Date: 4:30pm, 17 December, 2016
Venue: HK Football Club
Tickets: Free

Hong Kong Qualify for Women’s World Cup

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Massive congratulations to Hong Kong’s womens rugby team for qualifying for the 2017 World Cup in Ireland!!!

What an absolutely historic achievement for the players and the coaches!

Hong Kong’s qualification was confirmed when Japan beat Fiji 55-0 at King’s Park today. Hong Kong will play Japan on Saturday at the HK Football Club (4:30pm) to decide the winners of the World Cup Qualifier and who will face hosts Ireland as well as France and Australia in Pool C. The runner-up will join WRWC 2014 runners-up Canada, New Zealand and Wales in Pool A.

Womens Rugby World Cup
Date: 9-26 August, 2017
Venue: Dublin, Ireland

Hong Kong 45-7 Fiji!!!! Hong Kong’s Going to the World Cup!!!!

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45-7! 45-7!!!
Hong Kong’s going the World Cup in Ireland 2017
Massive congratulations to all the players and coaches.
What an amazing achievement. So totally proud of you all!!
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Hong Kong v Fiji World Cup Qualifier @ King’s Park – 9 December, 2016

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Hong Kong beat Fiji in game 1 of the Women’s World Cup Qualifier at King’s Park.
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