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Rugby Sevens World Cup 2018 Fixture Schedule Announced

Hong Kong will take on Russia in their first game of the Rugby Seven World Cup in San Francisco this July, with the winners playing New Zealand for a place in Cup competition.

The 2018 Sevens World Cup features 24 men’s and 16 women’s teams and will be played on 20-22 July at the AT&T Park in San Francisco’s Bay Area.

An innovative tournament format will see every match count. In both the men’s and women’s tournaments teams will have to win every match in order to be crowned World Cup winners.

In the men’s competition, where nations will be competing to get their hands on the Melrose Cup, there will be an initial knock-out preliminary round featuring the nations ranked ninth to 24th, while the top eight seeds progress automatically to the round of 16.

The women will be the first to take to the pitch at AT&T Park as Fiji face Spain in the first match of the tournament on 20 July. Top seeds and reigning World Cup holders New Zealand, who will enter the competition high on confidence following their recent gold medal performance at the Commonwealth Games, will face Mexico in the round of 16.

Olympic champions and current World Rugby Women’s Sevens Series leaders Australia will take on Papua New Guinea while hosts USA, seeded fifth, will wrap up the round of 16 action against China, who are an emerging force following their victory in the World Rugby Women’s Sevens Series Qualifier in Hong Kong in April.

The men’s tournament also gets underway on day one with Kenya, runners-up in the recent Hong Kong and Vancouver legs of the World Sevens Series, facing Tonga in the first game of the preliminary round.

In the evening session on the first day of competition current Olympic champions and World Rugby Sevens Series leaders Fiji will take on the winner of Japan v Uruguay in the round of 16, while reigning World Cup champions New Zealand will face the winner of Russia v Hong Kong.

Top seeds South Africa will encounter the winners of Ireland v Chile, while host nation USA, ranked fifth, wrap up the first day of competition as they are drawn against the winner of Wales v Zimbabwe in the final match of the day.

World Rugby Chairman Bill Beaumont said: “The release of the match schedule marks another exciting step on the journey to the highly anticipated Rugby World Cup Sevens 2018 in San Francisco. Fans can now begin to plan their tournaments and teams can focus on their prospective opponents.

“There has never been a more competitive World Rugby Sevens Series than this year’s edition, with five different winners in the first five rounds in the men’s series, and only 16 points separating the top four nations in the women’s series, we are all set for a great showcase of the drama and excitement of rugby sevens at the first Rugby World Cup event ever to be held in the USA.”

Additional reporting and photos: World Rugby

Team Scallywag Arrive in Itajaí

Scallywag finally pulled up to the dock at the bustling Itajaí Race Village at mid-afternoon on Thursday, completing its delivery trip from the west coast of Chile.

The boat made landfall in Chile after retiring from Leg 7 following the death of crew member John Fisher who was lost overboard in the Southern Ocean, with a delivery crew taking on the task of getting the boat to Itajaí.

Now the team is in a race against time to be ready for the Leg 8 to Newport, Rhode Island on Sunday afternoon.

Neil Cox, the Head of the Boatyard, says he has his full team ready to work around the clock to get Scallywag on the start line, but he cautions that certain processes can’t be shortcut.

“We have the entire Boatyard workforce dedicated to working on that boat,” Cox said. “We’ve also kept suppliers on site to help us with certain tasks.

“Following the Southern Ocean legs, we’re giving the rigs a thorough check with the help of Southern Spars. Any carbon work that has to be done takes a certain amount of time to ‘cook’ and that process can’t be shortened.

“Our goal within the boatyard is to get through the mandated service work that each boat goes through in this stopover and to complete any other repairs within the time it takes to get the rig ready. If everything goes well, they’ll be on the start line on Sunday, but we are at the point now where every hour counts.”

For the Scallywag crew, the race against the clock has seen an outpouring of goodwill from their competitors who are lending a hand, where necessary, to help them get to the start.

Some of the other teams have offered to help us pull our mast out,” said sailor Trystan Seal. “So the support we’re getting is petty impressive. It’s a tight timeline for us to get to the start, but everyone is on our side and trying to help us as much as possible.”

“It’s amazing how much help we’ve been offered by the other teams,” said Annemeike Bes. “It’s a great feeling that so many people are supporting us.

“We’re in a race and we’re competitive and we all want to win, but at times like this it’s more like a family taking care of each other, and that’s awesome.”

Additional reporting: Volvo Ocean Race
Images: Jeremie Lecaudey/Volvo Ocean Race

Hong Kong Lacrosse Open

18 teams from across Asia will compete in the men’s and women’s Hong Kong Lacrosse Open 2018. Organised by the Hong Kong Lacrosse Association competition will take place at the Stanley Ho Sports Centre (28-29 April) and King’s Park (30 April – 1 May) and entry is free at both venues.

The ten men’s teams are split into two pools of 5, while the eight women’s teams face-off in pools of four with the top teams in the various pools competing in a knock-out competition to find the champions.

Lacrosse is a team sport played with a lacrosse stick – which has a small net at the top and players use the head of the stick to carry, pass, catch, and shoot the ball.

The men’s game is a full contact sport and players wear protective gear: helmet, gloves, shoulder pads, and elbow pads. The women’s game does not allow body contact but does allow stick to stick contact and the only protective gear required is eyegear, although goalies wear helmets and protective pads.

Hong Kong Lacrosse Open
Date: 28 April – 1 May, 2018
Venue: Stanley Ho Sports Centre; King’s Park
Tickets: Free

Images:Hong Kong Lacrosse Association

Hong Kong Tens @ HK Football Club – 5 April, 2018

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Two days of great rugby up close and personal at the Hong Kong Tens saw UBB Gavekal retain the Bill Burgess Cup. A packed stadium fully enjoyed the action and the chance to mix with current and former rugby internationals from across the globe.
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UBB Gavekal Win Hong Kong Tens

UBB Gavekal retained the Bill Burgess Cup at the 33rd HK Football Club Tens as a late try by Fiji Sevens back Leveni Kurimalawai secured a thrilling 24-17 win over a Tradition YCAC side dominated by New Zealanders.

The pace of UBB’s Fiji Sevens backs proved the difference in the final as Samu Bale touched down for an early opener, Sakeo Raloa added two tries and Kurimalawai scored the winner after the sides were locked at 17-17 at Hong Kong Football Club.

Representing Top 14 club Union Bordeaux Begles, UBB were surprise winners last year, but this year lived up to their top-seed status as head coach Matt Clarkin – a former UBB captain – led his side to a second successive victory.

“We’re ecstatic. We’re ecstatic! We knew going back-to-back was going to be an even bigger challenge than coming last year as underdogs, but we thrived on that challenge and the boys showed up hungry and they got the job done,” said Clarkin, whose five Fiji Sevens players included forwards Keponi Paul and Vasikali Mudu.

“The Fiji guys did for us what they did for us last year, but our trademark is working hard for each other. I think that’s still our strength and I think you saw that in the final. To have three yellow cards against you and still come out on top is a huge feat so I couldn’t be prouder of them.”

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UBB ran out to a quick 12-0 lead with tries from Bale and Raloa, before New Zealand’s Angus Gibbens pulled one back for YCAC. Raloa extended UBB’s lead to 17-5 before tries by New Zealand’s Te Puoho Stephens and Tonga’s Willie Fotofili made it 17-17, but Kurimalawai scored late on to ensure captain Nick Smith lifted the Cup.

“It was the same thing as last year: we just came together as a tight unit,” said Smith, who scored four tries from flyhalf, while compatriot Renata Tenana also scored four tries over the two days.

“We’re all from different parts of the world, from Fiji, South Africa, New Zealand and Hong Kong, but at the end of the day, it’s how you gel together.”

Fourth seeds Samurai International won the second-tier Plate as an all-Fijian squad led by player-coach Nasoni Roko beat A-Trade Overseas Old Boys 28-7. Samurai’s dreams of winning the Cup for the first time were shattered by King’s College, who scored a last-play try to win a dramatic Cup quarter-final 15-14.

The Scottish Exiles won a trophy for the first time at the HKFC 10s after the Hong Kong-based side beat Hunter + Boo East Africans 38-7 in the third-tier Bowl final. Competing for the seventh straight year, Scottish Exiles had finished runner-up in the Plate final three times, so captain Jamie Pincott was delighted to finally lift a trophy.

“It’s been a long few years, especially hitting the finals a lot of the time and coming away empty handed so it’s nice to have this win and to take the trophy home,” said Pincott.

“You can really hear the crowd out here and its really great to play in front of them so I really enjoyed it. It was great to be out there and East Africans are a tough team. It’s good to see them develop over the years and it was great to see them here again.”

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HKFC co-captains Tom Isaacs and Mitch Andrews lifted the Shield after the hosts beat Irish Vikings 17-0. It was a popular victory for the home side after an impressive domestic season and a personal triumph for Isaacs, a former Wales Sevens back who lost in the Plate final twice when playing for Cardiff University in 2006 and 2007.

“We’re very happy. It was a tough two days, but we’re really proud of the way the boys performed in the last two games. I got to the Plate final twice before and actually lost against the Irish Vikings one time, so personally it was nice for me to get that win,” said Isaacs, whose team were boosted by former Australia Sevens speedster Josh Coward, who scored three tries.

“Josh was a big asset. He’s an exciting player once he gets his hands on the ball so it was one of our tactics is try to get it to him as quickly as possible. He finished off some great tries and it was great to have him on the ball.”

Cup Final: UBB Gavekal 24-17 Tradition YCAC

Plate Final: Samurai International 28-7 A-Trade Overseas Old Boys

Bowl Final: Taikoo Place Scottish Exiles 38-7 Hunter + Boo East Africans

Plate Final: Natixis HKFC 17-0 Irish Vikings

All results: www.hongkongtens.com/match.php

Additional reporting and images: HK10s

HK Womens Sevens @ So Kon Po – 5 April, 2018

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A packed crowd at So Kon Po enjoyed a sun-drenched day of exciting rugby at the 2018 HK Women’s Rugby Sevens. Apart from a superb solo try by Natasha Olson Thorne, in a hard fought 17-12 victory against Kazakhstan, there was little local cheer as two heavy defeats against Brazil (38-0) and China (19-7) meant the hosts again failed to reach day two and a first experience of the HK Stadium atmosphere.
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Hong Kong At The Women’s Sevens

After a disappointing tournament in 2017 the Hong Kong women’s team again look to make their debut at the Hong Kong Stadium and Coach Kevin West has picked a squad for the World Rugby Women’s Sevens Series Qualifier that blends experience and youth.

Five players are set to make their sevens debut at So Kon Po – the newcomers are Stephanie Chan Chor-ki, Vivian Poon Hoi-yan, Amber Tsang Wing-chi, Agnes Chan Tsz-Ching and Agnes Tse Wing-kui.

While captain and vice captain Christy Cheng Ka-chi and Natasha Olson-Thorne both make their eighth Hong Kong Women’s Rugby Sevens appearance.

“It’s a good group,” said West. “It’s a real mix of experience and youth, which is what we’ve been trying to do. There are five making their Hong Kong debuts, but we’ve been lucky because they’ve already had tournaments in Fiji and Borneo. They all have some tournament experience – not of the level of Hong Kong maybe, but there’s only one way to find that out isn’t there?”

West continued “Agnes Chan was one of our great finds at the fifteens world cup and she has just kicked on since then; it’s great to have her in. Vivian, Amber and Stephanie all give us a degree of pace, they make the squad slightly pacier throughout the park, rather than having one or two fliers. All of them play as if they’ve got nothing to lose, which is great.”

The debuts are partially injury-forced, (after the loss of wings Chong Ka-yan and Aggie Poon Pak-yan and fly half Lee Tsz-ting in the build-up). “We have had to look at things after losing some of our major strike threats in Aggie and Ka-yan, and a lot of experience in BB, but that’s the nature of the sport – with the newcomers we are well covered,” said West.

About Agnes Tse, who only joined the squad this month, West said “I coached her in our junior development fifteens programme… We particularly needed to cover that outside back area, the centre/wing area, which kept some of the others from making the squad at the end of the day, but Agnes has obviously done really well. She has earned her selection.”

“She’s tough and she has speed. Her job for us is to have a go, to take the line on. She’s good in the tackle and quite physical. She’s settled in really well and done brilliantly really. She is a level, mature girl, who I’m sure will just put her head down, take it all in stride and work hard,” added West.

Hong Kong open the tournament against Brazil (11.36), before playing more familiar foes in China (13.48) and Kazakhstan (16.22).

“Like just about every team we will be playing they’re bigger than us,” West said of the Brazilians, who beat World Series side and Asian champions Japan twice en route to a ninth-place finish in Rio.

“They also have a bit of pace. Actually there are a lot of similarities in the style of play throughout the group, with China and Kazakhstan also having a real physical element. We are prepared for that,” said West.

With a chance to play on the Stadium pitch during Hong Kong Sevens – and a spot on the World Series up for grabs West has the squad focused on the weekend but is also looking to the future.

“We are taking Hong Kong very seriously. It is our home tournament, so there is both a need and some pressure for us to perform, but we are very aware that our major goal this year is the Asian Games.

“So, for these girls to get this sort of tournament under their belts, against some of the world’s best and some of the competition we will play at the Games will hold us in good stead regardless of anything else,” said West.

The action begins at So Kon Po, directly across from the Hong Kong Stadium, on Thursday, 5 April. After the pool stages, the quarterfinalists (top eight) of the 12-team international competition will move to the Stadium on Friday, 6 April, as part of the opening day’s action at the Hong Kong Sevens. The winner of the Qualifier receives an automatic berth on next season’s World Rugby Women’s Sevens Series.

Hong Kong Women’s Sevens Squad – World Rugby Women’s Sevens Series Qualifier 2018 :
Christy Cheng Ka-chi (Captain),
Natasha Olson-Thorne (Vice Captain),
Agnes Chan Tsz-Ching,
Stephanie Chan Chor-ki,
Ivy Kwong Sau-yan,
Melody LiNim-yan,
Nam Ka-man,
Vivian Poon Hoi-yan,
Sham Wai-sum,
Colleen Tjosvold,
Amber Tsang Wing-chi,
Agnes Tse Wing-kiu.

Additional reporting and images: HKRU

Rugby Week 2018

After the individual creativity of Art Week, the wonders of team creativity are on display as Rugby Week 2018 scrums down.

The action starts at King’s Park on Wednesday with KowloonFest where the old and venerable rumble around the pitch and have a lot of fun as their brain sees them sprinting to score a fantastic try only to find their legs unable to keep up…

While the 7s is all speed and patterns, perhaps the best rugby of the week is at the Hong Kong Tens. With proper scrums and brutal power forward play the Tens features, especially on Thursday night, perhaps the closest we in Hong Kong can get to seeing modern rugby up close and personal. Select teams packed with talent, new and old, from around the world put a physicality and rawness to images seen on television that really has to be experienced in person.

The wonderful HK Women’s Seven is again a qualifier for the Women’s World Series. If you can’t get a ticket to the Sevens then head to So Kon Po and cheer on Hong Kong.

The Sevens, amidst the partying a rugby tournament takes place. The quality of the other World Series tournaments isn’t as good as in the past – empty stadiums on the World Series attest to that. Yet Hong Kong still sees teams raising their game…

Here are the dates for your diary for what promises to be some fantastic sport and a lot of fun.

Kowloon Fest
When: 4 April, 2018
Where: Kings Park
How much: Free
More info: www.rugbyfest.org

Hong Kong Tens
When: 4-5 April, 2018
Where: Hong Kong Football Club
How much: $125, $100 (advance)
More info: www.hongkongtens.com

Hong Kong Women’s Rugby Sevens
When: 5-6 April, 2018
Where: So Kon Po, Semi-final and Final-HK Stadium
How much: Free
More info: www.facebook.com/hkwr.sevens

Hong Kong 7s
When: 6-8 April, 2018
Where: HK Stadium
How much: $1,950 (sold out)
More info: www.hksevens.com