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Hong Kong Beaten by Germany in Sevens Challenger Series Final

Hong Kong advanced to the final of the opening tournament in the two-stop World Rugby Sevens Challenger Series in Chile, before losing 10-0 to Germany. The results keep Hong Kong on track in their bid to qualify for a full-time spot on the World Rugby Sevens Series.

Germany beat Japan 12-5 in their semi final, while Hong Kong overcame a tough ask from hosts Chile, working their way back from their first deficit of the tournament, 14 points down midway through the first half to win 17-14.

Salom Yiu put Hong Kong on the board shortly before the break with Raef Morrison and Kane Boucaut scoring in the second half to push Hong Kong past the hometown favourites. Earlier in the day, Hong Kong edged by Uganda 10-7 thanks to Jack Neville tries on either side of the interval.

A battered and bruised Hong Kong disappointed in the final, losing 10-0 to the Germans, and adding another chapter to the burgeoning rivalry between the two developing rugby nations at both sevens and fifteens.

It was a bittersweet performance for coach Paul John who was proud of his team’s efforts this week: “Overall, we are pleased with our progress. We finished second and reached the final, which is one of our goals at every tournament, but we suffered a second loss in a final, which is frustrating.

“It was not a great final. I thought it was very flat and we didn’t play our best. We started very poorly and fell off some tackles which helped them at key moments.”

Germany scored their first try shortly before the end of an open first half with both sides having several scoring chances. Penalties and aggressive German defence derailed Hong Kong’s early opportunities keeping them scoreless into the second stanza. Germany pushed their lead to 10-0 after nine minutes and Hong Kong were unable to close the gap down the stretch.

“It is funny, we would have taken that result beforehand if you offered it, but the boys are disappointed with the finish. Still, we are right in the mix now to finish near the top of the two tournaments. Coming in we needed a top eight finish, but our goal was to finish in the top two in both tournaments and we have now done that in the first,” John added.

The squad will travel today to Montevideo, Uruguay where they will take part in the finale next weekend with the same 16 teams.

Rest and recovery are at the top of John’s mind.

“There are some battered and bruised bodies out there after playing six games in two days. Normally, we play five matches in the Asian series, so this is something that we have not done in a while, but no one else has either really. Japan is used to it, but I think we are the only two sides with that experience of back-to-back tourneys with such a huge prize at the end

“The biggest thing is to keep the squad as fresh as we can,” said John, who has the luxury of travelling with 16 players to assess before naming the squad at the end of the week.

“We will look at certain parts of our game of course but it s all about recovery now and having the freshest possible squad come Saturday morning in Montevideo,” John concluded.

During The World Rugby Sevens Challenger Series match at Sausalito Stadium on Feb 16, 2020 in Vina del mar, Chile.

Hong Kong Sevens (Touring Squad): World Rugby Sevens Challenger Series

Max Woodward (Captain); Ben Rimene; Raef Morrison; Michael Coverdale; Hugo Stiles; Cado Lee Ka-to; Jamie Hood; Jack Neville; Alex Mcqueen; Liam Herbert; Russell Webb; Max Denmark; Sebastian Brien; Yiu Kam-shing; Kane Boucaut; Toby Fenn

Additional reporting and images: HKrugby, World Rugby

Hong Kong Men’s Seven in Chile for Sevens Challenger Series

The Hong Kong men’s sevens squad is in Santiago Chile to compete in the new World Rugby Sevens Challenger Series.

Head coach Paul John has included all 12 of the team that qualified for the 2020 Olympics repechage this June. Experienced campaigners Max Woodward, Ben Rimene, Michael Coverdale, Cado Lee, Jamie Hood, Salom Yiu and Alex McQueen are joined by emerging stars Max Denmark, Hugo Stiles, Seb Brien and Liam Herbert from the Incheon campaign.

The squad also includes Raef Morrison, who missed out on the Olympic qualifier with a training injury shortly before the team’s departure last November. Influential playmaker Jack Neville, and grafting forwards Kane Boucaut and Toby Fenn also come into the squad.

The 16-team opener in Mar del Vina, Chile features eight of the sides participating in last year’s men’s qualifier at the Hong Kong Sevens in hosts Chile, Hong Kong, Germany, Jamaica, Tonga, Uganda, Uruguay and Zimbabwe. Seven of the teams participating in this Challenger Series will also compete at June’s Olympic repechage in France.

After a 40-hour transit to Chile, the team has focused on rest and recovery, before ramping up for Saturday’s kick-off. The ease-in period is even more important given that five of the players took part in the domestic league (15s) Grand Final last Saturday before departing on Sunday.

“The boys seem pretty good,” said John from Mar del Vina.

“Still some aches from the weekend games and a few guys waiting to prove their fitness. We have spent a lot of time getting them physically recovered and ready after the trip and have had a couple of training sessions so far, which have been very competitive,” said John.

John believes his side are well prepared and have not been put off by the postponement of the Hong Kong Sevens to 16-18 October while they were away in South America.

“It’s business as usual. Qualifying for the World Series is one of our top aims and these tournaments will go a massive way towards that. We can only assume we have to win and go as hard as we can, which is nothing different from our usual approach.

“The opposition is very good and these two stand-alone tournaments are effectively a mini World Series swing so it’s a good challenge for us. We have to prepare well, play well and take our opportunities when they come. Our focus can only be on what is in front of us now.”

“We just need to take it day by day and top the group on day one and get a good draw for the quarter finals,” he added.

The winners of Pool B will advance to meet the runners-up in Pool C (Germany, Uganda, Italy and Paraguay) in the quarterfinals on Sunday

It is an interesting group for Hong Kong with familiar foes Papua New Guinea and Jamaica, whom Hong Kong beat at the Chester Sevens last fall, and first time opponents Colombia.

“Papua New Guinea and Jamaica are always difficult. Colombia is the unknown really and are almost at home. When it’s like that, you really have to be on top of your game. But as always it is about us performing as we can. We have to believe in ourselves and execute what we are good at” said John.

“We need to make sure our own game is right. The way it was in Hong Kong last year, when our defence was excellent and we won some very close games and progressed to the final.”

The World Rugby Sevens Challenger Series consists of two tournaments, this weekend’s opener in Mar del Vina, Chile (15-16 February), and next weekend’s finale in Uruguay (22-23 February)

Hong Kong Match Schedule: Mar del Vina Day One

Saturday 15 Feb. 2020 (All times are HK)

Hong Kong v Colombia (23.09)

Hong Kong v Papua New Guinea (02.15, Feb 16)

Hong Kong v Jamaica (05.31, Feb 16)

Hong Kong Sevens (Touring Squad): World Rugby Sevens Challenger Series

Additional reporting and images: HKRugby, World Rugby

Sevens Challenger Series Launches

The match schedule and pools have been drawn for the inaugural men’s tournament on the World Rugby Sevens Challenger Series, which will take place in Viña del Mar, Chile, on 15-16 February, 2020.

Sixteen countries will compete across two match days in the first of two Sevens Challenger Series tournaments which will take place in Chile and Uruguay in February.

The new series has been launched by World Rugby to expand rugby sevens growth across the globe and to offer teams quality competition.

Hosts Chile are drawn in Pool D and will face Brazil, Mexico and Zimbabwe, while hosts of the second round of competition, Uruguay will be joined by Japan, Portugal and Tonga in Pool A.

Elsewhere, Hong Kong, Colombia, Jamaica and Papua New Guinea make up Pool B with Germany, Italy, Paraguay and Uganda completing the Pool C line-up.

Teams will travel to Montevideo, Uruguay, for the second round of the Sevens Challenger Series on 22-23 February before the top eight teams progress to the final play-off tournament at the Hong Kong Sevens on 3-5 April, 2020 where they will compete for a spot on the World Rugby Sevens Series 2021.

The promoted team will replace the bottom placed core team in the World Series rewarding the winners with an opportunity to play against the world’s best.

“We are incredibly excited at the opportunities that lie ahead for the players and unions participating in the inaugural World Rugby Sevens Challenger Series tournament in Chile,” commented World Rugby Chairman Sir Bill Beaumont.

“The Sevens Challenger Series will provide a solid foundation for the emerging talent on the international rugby sevens scene as these individuals set their sights on the prospect of competing on the HSBC World Rugby Sevens Series and we look forward to seeing them in action.”

World Rugby Vice-Chairman and President of Rugby Americas, Agustín Pichot added: “The World Rugby Sevens Challenger Series will be a huge driver in developing rugby sevens within South America, a region where there are many passionate players and supporters of the game.

“I am delighted that this exciting new series is kicking off in South America. It is a huge opportunity for both Chile and Uruguay, who will be tremendous hosts and excellent advocates of this new and exciting competition.”

Teams who will compete in the 2020 World Rugby Sevens Challenger Series: Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Germany, Hong Kong, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Mexico, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Portugal, Tonga, Uganda, Uruguay, Zimbabwe.

Additional reporting and images: World Rugby

Celebration and Heartbreak for Hong Kong Rowers

There were tears of joy and heartbreak for Hong Kong rowers competing in the finals of the Asia and Oceania Olympic Qualification Regatta in Korea today. Racing on the 2014 Asian Games course in Chungju, the new lightweight men’s double scull combination of Tang Chiu Mang and Chiu Hin Chun took third place in a close-fought final, to qualify for the Games in Rio.

Heat winners Japan took the early lead, but China pushed hard before the halfway mark to move ahead, with Japan and Hong Kong chasing. In the last 500 meters, China continued to draw away to take first position in 6:24.70, with Japan holding off a rapidly closing Hong Kong – finishing in 6:27.79 and 6:29.76 respectively. Indonesia were 4th, India 5th and Uzbekistan 6th, with only the top 3 finalists qualifying for Rio.

Experienced Hong Kong stroke-man Tang Chiu Mang is no stranger to the course in Chungju, having won two silver medals here at the Asian Games in 2014. His partner, 22-year old Chiu, only took up rowing in the summer of 2013 however, after switching from the HKSI windsurfing programme. He was recruited via a Talent Identification Programme and this is his first major international success.

The heartbreak came in the lightweight women’s double sculls, where experienced single sculler Lee Ka Man was paring up with her younger sister Lee Yuen Yin. Times from the heats showed that there were at least five crews capable of challenging for the three qualifying places available for Rio in this event. This was confirmed in a thrilling final. SEA Games champions, Vietnam sprinted out from the start but were soon overhauled by the favourites, Japan, with Hong Kong, Korea and Iran almost level in third as the boats passed the halfway mark. Going into the final quarter of the race, Iran fell off the pace whilst Korea, Vietnam and Hong Kong all sprinted for the line. It was a photo finish and, sadly, Hong Kong came out on the wrong side of the qualifying positions with Korea second in 7:06.89, Vietnam third in 7:07.32 and Hong Kong missing out – just 0.19s adrift in 7:07.51.

In the men’s single sculls, veteran sculler Law Hiu Fung also narrowly missed out on a qualifying place after he finished just over a second behind Uzbekistan in the B Final for an overall ranking of 8th – with seven crews qualifying for Rio.

Head Coach Chris Perry shared the high and low feelings of his rowers after the event “Obviously the whole team is absolutely delighted with the result achieved by the men’s lightweight double. The combination was only formed after trials at the beginning of this season, and they have made incredible progress. Tang, as the stroke-man showed his maturity and experience in leading the crew, and he lived up again to his nickname of “Turbo” – powering the crew in the sprint finish. For his partner Chiu, to be qualifying for an Olympic Games after only taking up the sport in 2013 is an incredible achievement, and testimony to the partnership between the Hong Kong Sports Institute and the Hong Kong, China Rowing Association (HKCRA) in talent identification.

At the same time I feel devastated for the women’s crew. They raced an absolutely fantastic race, and put in the fastest last 500 meters of any crew in the event. It is tragic to miss out by just 0.19 seconds in a photo finish. Of course, this is the nature of sport at top Olympic level and the athletes can still be very proud that they put in their best performance of the season in the race. They could not have done more. Korea and Vietnam have qualified crews in both the women’s singles and doubles so, according to the rules, they must give up one of these events. If they give up the double, then Hong Kong will be next in line for the place but, unfortunately, it is more likely they will give up the singles in order to have a larger number of athletes in Rio. This will be known in the next two weeks and we shall have to wait and see. Law Hiu Fung will not benefit from any extra place in the men’s single, as Hong Kong have already qualified in the double and the same rules apply”.

Olympic Sevens Qualifying

The Hong Kong Sevens are the best global sporting social event around, in a world before the Internet and instant global communication the HK Sevens were known across the globe even by non-rugby players like myself. For my first tickets I queued overnight in a freezing Victoria Park and stayed three months in a city I’d planned to visit for a few days. That three months, turned into a lifetime and I’m now proudly a Hongkong and this wonderful city is my home. That first Sevens an ecstatic happy memory, the 21 that have followed, some of the best days of each year even though it’s hard work.

I love the Sevens and appreciate that they’re HK Rugby Football Union’s golden goose the multi-million annual tournament that stuffs the Union’s bank account to over-flowing. The competition that even now in the era of professional rugby, players dream of attending or playing at above almost any other. That ‘other’ was once perhaps singular, the Rugby World Cup, from 2016 the ‘other’ is a duo as the Olympics embraces Rugby 7s for the first time.

It’d be tough to say which is the biggest and best known sporting tournament in the world, the Olympics or the Football World Cup. The Olympics probably just shade it. The roar at the HK Stadium when Hong Kong won the shield in 2010 for their first trophy in a decade was amazing. But Lee Lai Shan wining gold at the Olympics was monumental as was Li Ching and Ko Lai Chak’s silver in 2004. Watching Sarah Lee win a bronze medal live at the London Olympics 2012 had me screaming at the computer monitor and walking around so proud and happy of a HongKonger’s achievement on the biggest of biggest sporting stages.

The Olympics, for all their faults, are when the world focuses on sport almost exclusively for a couple of weeks. Hong Kong’s men’s and women’s rugby 7s teams, both have a chance to be among the twelve countries who qualify to compete at Rio2016. The Olympics only happen every four years so qualifying is a hard and rare opportunity, and the fame of the HKSevens has given Hong Kong home advantage for both tournaments.

Really, you didn’t know – I’m not surprised. Tickets for the November 7-8 Qualification Tournament went on sale last week. Yet there’s no mention of this on the website of the HKRFU. Nothing on it’s facebook page, not even a tweet (account suspended). There’s been no press release about tickets going onsale. No details of how many tickets are available locally to the general public (are the Union worried that having 38,000 tickets for sale will reveal how much they are screwing the public allocation at the 7s – come on the public are not stupid, they know they get screwed every March on tickets). Nothing, nada! A black hole of promotion, advertising and awareness.

It is quite frankly a disgrace, Hong Kong might not win the gold medal at Rio2016 but qualifying would be a fantastic achievement. The roar of packed HK Stadium might be the eighth man that pushes Hong Kong across the qualification try-line against our two toughest regional rivals Japan and China. So why does the HKRFU ignore this wonderful opportunity? Are they incompetent? Jealous that the Olympics will injure their annual golden goose? Or is Olympic rugby, like women’s rugby a part of the game to be suffered by the male dinosaurs who run the local game because they’re not feted and fawned upon, their ego’s stroked, as they are by all those $uper rich corporate$ desperate for access to the holy grail of sevens tickets!

Sort it out! The players and fans deserve better!

HKRFU website 18 August, 2015 - 4 days after tickets went onsale. — HKRFU website 18 August, 2015 – 4 days after tickets went onsale.

Rugby Sevens Asia Regional Qualifier for Rio2016

Rugby Sevens Asia Regional Qualifier for Rio 2016 Olympic Games – 7-8 November, 2015

Rugby sevens will make its Olympic Games debut on 6 August, 2016 after the Rio 2016 Organising Committee released the daily competition schedule to mark 500 days to go.

The men’s and women’s competitions will both feature 12 teams. World Rugby has announced that the top four teams in the respective men’s and women’s World Rugby Sevens Series standings will qualify automatically – Fiji, South Africa, New Zealand and England. Brazil as hosts will also feature in both tournaments.

A men’s and a women’s team will qualify from each of the six regional Olympic qualification tournaments, that will take place between June and November 2015. The Men’s Asia Rugby Sevens Regional Qualifier for Rio 2016 Olympic Games will take place in Hong Kong on the weekend of the 7-8 November.

The Asia women’s representative will be decided at the Tokyo Women’s Sevens tournament on 28-29 November 2015.

The 12th and final place in both the men’s and women’s Olympic Games rugby sevens competitions will be determined via a repechage tournament which will take place before the end of June 2016 (date and location to be confirmed).

Tickets of Rio 2016 can be purchased China Travel Service (Hong Kong) Limited – the authorised ticket reseller for Hong Kong. Visit the Rio 2016 website for more information – www.rio2016.com/spectators

Asia Rugby Sevens Qualifier
Date: 7-8 November, 2015
Venue: HK Stadium
Tickets: $360 (2-day pass), $200 (1-day pass), under 12 free.
More info: Exact details of the ticket buying process have yet to be released

Rugby Sevens Asia Regional Qualifier for Rio2016

Rugby Sevens Asia Regional Qualifier for Rio 2016 Olympic Games – 7-8 November, 2015

Rugby sevens will make its Olympic Games debut on 6 August, 2016 after the Rio 2016 Organising Committee released the daily competition schedule to mark 500 days to go.

The Asia women’s representative will be decided at the Tokyo Women’s Sevens tournament on 28-29 November 2015.