Operation Breakthrough is a youth crime prevention initiative that comprises rugby and other sports sections including boxing, sailing, dancing and much more. The rugby programme was set up in November 2003 and is run by the Police RFC with the assistance of the HKRFU.

Currently 70 at-risk youth aged between 13 and 17 from the districts of Tin Shui Wai and Wong Tai Sin train every Wednesday evening at the Police Sports & Recreation Club, and field teams in the Youth and Colts rugby leagues.

Other recent highlights included playing a match at the Hong Kong Stadium at December’s "Tickets & Tries" event, one of the boys making the U18 Peninsula squad for the New Year’s Day Tournament, and one lad being selected to go on tour with the Hong Kong U16 team to Sri Lanka.

An integral part of the scheme is also sending each youth who has shown sufficient commitment on an Outward Bound Course, and the fantastic OB staff (several of whom are also Police players!) have been of huge assistance in developing this programme.

The scheme has also received considerable support from throughout the rugby community, including the help of Standard Chartered, Heller Ehrman, AVIVA Insurance, Sodexho, and Future Leisure. 

The success of the scheme was recognised on March 15^th 2005 when the Laureus World Sports Foundation adopted Breakthrough as one of their "Sport for Good" projects.  Laureus Academy members Edwin Moses, Mark Spitz and Sean Fitzpatrick visited Police Boundary Street to join the boys training and present a cheque for HK$100,000. 

To find out more about Operation Breakthrough, visit www.breakthrough.hk