Tag: sport

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

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

 

Soccer Sevens Cancelled

The 2020 edition of the HKFC Soccer Sevens scheduled for 22-24 May has been canceled due to the ongoing issues in Hong Kong.

Tournament director Chris Plowman said “the difficulty in securing the necessary commitments to be able to deliver an event of the scale and quality that is expected of the Soccer Sevens” left the organising committee no alternative.

Plowman continued “Naturally we are very disappointed and we would like to thank all the teams, sponsors, stakeholders and fans who had committed to the 2020 event. We will be back in 2021,”

https://bcmagazine.smugmug.com/Bcene-photos/2019/HK-Soccer-Sevens-HK-Football-Club-18-May-2019/i-KXsGgZx

Images: HK Soccer Sevens

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

 

Sarah Lee Wins Gold Infront of Home Fans

Hong Kong’s Sprint World Champion won her third consecutive sprint World Cup event at the HK Velodrome in front of her ecstatic home fans.

On Day 2 of the 2019-2020 UCI Track Cycling World Cup: Hong Kong, local star and current World Champion Sarah Lee Wai Sze was utterly dominant in the Women’s Sprint, storming to her third straight World Cup gold. 

Three Hong Kong riders competed in the Women’s Sprint, Sarah Lee clocked the fastest time of 10.590 seconds in the Qualifying 200m time trial and advanced to 1/8 finals with ease.

Jessica Lee Hoi Yan recorded a time of 11.002 seconds and advanced to the 1/16 Finals where she defeated Russian rider Natalia Antonova to progress, while Lee Yin Yin ranked last in the qualifying.

Sarah and Jessica went head-to-head in the last sixteen, with the reigning World Champion easily dispatching her teammate in straight races. Lee Wai Sze went unbeaten in the competition, defeating China’s Zhong Tianshi, Ukrainian Olena Starikova and Germany’s Emma Hinze in two straight races to win gold on home soil.

Lee’s win was her third straight UCI Track Cycling World Cup gold in 2019, having also won in Minsk and Glasgow, she’s now unbeaten in the sprint since last June.

Lee will compete in the Women’s Keirin on Day 3, hoping to double her gold tally on home soil.

Additional reporting and images: UCI

Four Changes as Hong Kong Chase Gold in China

After taking silver in the opening Asian Rugby Sevens Series tournament the Hong Kong men’s sevens squad will be looking to go one better in Huizhou, China (14-15 September) – the second of the three-leg series, which builds up to the Olympic qualifiers in November.

Four players are called up to the men’s squad, which lost to Japan in the final in South Korea, as coach Paul John rotates and looks to freshen up the team. Raef Morrison, Seb Brien, Alex McQueen and Ben Rimene are included in the 13-man travel squad with Rimene the nominated injury replacement for the weekend. Their inclusion sees forwards Kane Boucaut and Toby Fenn, and back Tom McQueen, rested.

The eight-team Series offers no easy groups and Hong Kong face a physical route in Pool B, to a hoped-for cup final appearance, against the Philippines, UAE, and China.

UAE had a muscular debut in Korea, narrowly losing to the Philippines in the plate semi-final before beating Taipei to claim 7th overall.

A motivated China seven, fresh from claiming Bronze in the opener – their first podium finish in nearly a year, are second seeds behind Hong Kong and will prove a stiff test on home ground.

John is confident he has a group suited for the task, saying: “Our squad is strong. This competition is getting more difficult to pick a squad for, now, which is good. There is good competition across the group and we have another 14 or 15 guys training that are not travelling, but are pushing for spaces, and that is what we want.

“The boys were excellent in Korea and got very close to Japan, but we didn’t play as well as we could in the final, and that was a bit disappointing. We want to go as far as we possibly can again this weekend. But there is no use in talking about it, until we have an opportunity to play our first game. We’re only thinking about the UAE and China, our day one opponents.

“China were very good in Korea. They can give us a hard time and we are probably playing UAE at the worst time to get someone like that, in the first game of t tournament. It’s a tough group and we need to be on top of our game to come through,” he added.

Hong Kong Men’s Sevens Squad (Huizhou, China, 14-15 Sept 2019):

Max Woodward (Captain); Seb Brien*, Michael Coverdale, Jamie Hood, Lee Jones, Cado Lee Ka-to, Alex McQueen*, Raef Morrison*, Jack Neville, Ben Rimene*, Hugo Stiles, Russell Webb, Yiu Kam-shing.
*Season debut

Additional reporting and images: HKrugby