Hong Kong Rugby Football Union Announce Men’s and Women’s Rugby Sevens Squad

[Hong Kong, March 19 2011]  The Hong Kong Rugby Football Union (HKRFU) today announced the men’s and women’s rugby sevens squad.  The announcement was made in association with UBS, principal sponsor of the HKRFU and National Team  since 1996. 

The squads were revealed at a special function held for UBS and its clients and families at the Hong Kong Football Club, site of the Hong Kong Women’s Rugby Sevens. The teams announced will be participating in the upcoming Cathay Pacific/Credit Suisse Hong Kong Sevens (March 25 – 27, 2011) and the Cable&Wireless Worldwide Hong Kong Women’s Rugby Sevens (March 25, 2011). 

Mr T Brian Stevenson, SBS, President of the Hong Kong Rugby Football Union was in attendance along with Mr Allen Lo, Country Head and Chief Executive of UBS Hong Kong.

“I am extremely proud to report that our teams have achieved remarkable success in the past few months; the men recording strong performances on the Asian Rugby Sevens Series and taking home the silver medal at the Asian Games, while our women narrowly missed out on a medal in Guangzhou. As a Union and as a rugby community we are proud of their performances and we look forward to great things ahead,” said Brian Stevenson.

Hong Kong National Head Coach Dai Rees commented on the men’s squad saying, “We are happy with the squad’s readiness. Eleven of the 12-man squad are veterans of the silver-medallist Asian Games squad, so the players are really coming off an 18-month campaign in terms of their preparations.”

“But we have told the players that this month starts an entirely new phase in their preparations – the build-up to qualification for the Rugby World Cup Sevens in Russia in 2013. With this group of players it is important to keep the focus on achieving new goals.”

Four of the squad will be making their Hong Kong Sevens debut including Sebastian Perkins, Jamie Hood, Edward Haynes and Adam Raby. In the absence of injured captain Mark Wright, Rees has named a new captain in Hong Kong Cricket Club’s Anthony Haynes.

“Anthony is a natural leader and he will be assisted by the many senior players in the squad especially Hong Kong 15s captain Simon Leung and other veterans like Rowan Varty and Keith Robertson,” said Rees.

“It is important for us to introduce new players to the captaincy and Anthony has the benefit of being young (21) and will likely still be in contention as we approach qualification for the Rugby World Cup Sevens and ideally the Olympic Games in 2016,” added Rees.

Since 2009, the Hong Kong Men’s Rugby Sevens squad has taken the silver medal at the East Asian Games and at the Guangzhou Asian Games 2010.  In February, the squad won the Hong Kong Sports Stars Team Award.    

Hong Kong is pooled with South Africa, Wales and Spain in this year’s Hong Kong Sevens. Last year, Hong Kong beat European teams Wales and Russia at the Hong Kong Sevens.  Adding to the excitement in 2011, Hong Kong’s opening game will be a re-match against Wales on Friday evening at 19.04.

Last year Hong Kong won the Hong Kong Sevens shield competition on the trophy’s debut in 2010.

The Hong Kong Women’s Rugby Sevens squad was also announced today ahead of the Cable&Wireless Worldwide Hong Kong Women’s Rugby Sevens. Hong Kong is pooled with China, France, the Netherlands and the Philippines on the first occasion for the Hong Kong Women’s Rugby Sevens to feature full national sides across all of the teams.

Hong Kong Women’s Rugby Sevens Coach Kane Jury commented on the team selection saying, “We have a good balanced of experienced and young players. There have been a few changes from the Asian Games team but those changes have been positive ones. A lot of new players have come in and made an impact on the team.”

“We are in a tough pool alongside China, France, the Netherlands and the Philippines. We know China very well. They are strong and athletic. France came in third place in the tournament a few years ago and Netherlands are a Rugby World Cup squad so these teams will prove very tough. It will be a great challenge for our girls to play against that level of opposition. But if we play and never give up for 14 minutes like we did in the Asian Games I think the results will be good.”

Rugby Sevens Squads Announced for the 2010 Guangzhou Asian Games

The Hong Kong Rugby Football Union today announced the Hong Kong, China men’s and women’s squads for the rugby sevens competition at the Asian Games in Guangzhou, to be played at the University Town Main Stadium November 21 – 23, 2010.

With the inclusion of Tsang Hing Hung, there is only one change to the men’s that recently won the Borneo Sevens.  On that occasion Hong Kong beat Japan 31-28 in the Asian Sevens Series event. Hong Kong is pooled with Japan at the Asian Games, setting up a tantalizing rematch with their Asian rivals, and meaning they will be on opposite sides of the draw for the knock out stages. The team will also face Malaysia, Mongolia and Thailand in group matches.

Commenting on the team, National Head Coach Dai Rees said, “The high standards achieved by all players within the extended training squad over the past four months have been outstanding. We currently have more strength in depth than ever before.”

“The team performed well at the Borneo Sevens. We have made the one change in Tsang Hing Hung, which just goes to demonstrate the competition for places. Hing Hung brings a wealth of experience to the team and provides a balance in the final make up of the squad.” 

“We are very clear with what we want to acheive,” added Rees. “Japan, Korea and China would appear to be the main threats, but our preparation has been good and we are going into the Games quietly confident.”

The Hong Kong, China women’s team also has just one change from the team that won the plate competition in the Singapore Cricket Club Sevens, which was their final preparation tournament before heading for Guangzhou, with Cheng Ka Chi coming into the final squad replacing Man Po Kei.

The women’s team face a tough draw, and will meet Uzbekistan, Korea, Thailand and the gold medal favourites China in pool play, but are confident that they can be involved at the business end of the tournament.

“We have enjoyed an excellent build up to the Asian Games, and the success at the Jonah Jones Sevens back in September has provided the squad with the self belief required to be pushing for a medal,” commented coach Yong Chi Fung on the naming of the squad.

 “All matches are important, but the key pool match for us looks to be against Thailand, a victory there could set us up for a chance of a medal,” added Yong.