The Hong Kong men’s U19 came up with a clutch 29-19 win over South Korea in Kaohsiung, Taiwan on Saturday night to claim their seventh straight Asian U19s title. Hong Kong left it late for a second year, having to beat table toppers Korea in the last game, after entering the final round level with Taipei, who beat Singapore 14-7 in their final match.

It was win or go home as the first squad to lose at this tournament in seven years for a Hong Kong group that featured just five returning players from last year’s campaign and a new coach in former sevens and fifteens international Mark Wright.

The team responded to the weight of expectations and the weight of Korea’s massive forward pack, anchored by surprisingly nimble 300-pound prop Seo Jongsu, to turn in the bonus point victory to climb to ten points on the table and return the trophy to So Kon Po for another season.

South Korea and Taipei finished level second on nine points, while Singapore finished fourth on three.

The win puts Hong Kong through to a seventh straight World Rugby U20 Championship in Spain next September, setting another target for a group that has now been tested under fire at Asian level but will find the going even tougher in Spain next September.

Playing a third game in the space of a week, both sides proved the highs of the U19s game, with an end-to-end display of energy and commitment, derailed frequently by over-exuberance and the resulting handling errors and questionable decision-making at times.

It made for an exhilarating affair as Hong Kong generated several chances in the opening exchanges, but stymied their own progress with inaccuracy and handling errors, in what turned out to be a tight affair in the first half with the game drawn 12-12 at the break.

Hong Kong started the second half on a similar note, camping in Korea’s 22 but failing to close out their chances with the last ball going astray on a series of occasions. Despite the halting start, it soon became clear that Hong Kong was dominating attack and territory, and their ability to sustain that pressure down the stretch soon saw those chances converted.

Exerting steady pressure from the kick-off, Hong Kong scored 17 straight points to close out the game before the Koreans responded with a consolation try late to pull within ten.

Hong Kong’s 19 year olds came out needing points in the second half and they got them – eventually, but not after a few opening forays were derailed again at the last second.

Korea’s dangerous pack lifted early in the second half when they turned Hong Kong over on a five-metre attacking scrum, but just as quickly gave ball back to Hong Kong.

Hard runs from Hong Kong’s centre pairing of freshman Will Panday and experienced campaigner Nick Karton dented Korea’s defensive structure with gaps subsequently opening up out wide.

Despite allowing a few gloating moments to their opponents, the forwards did heavy damage, gaining the upper hand in what was a tightly contested battle throughout. James Rivers try broke the gates open after he converted from a close-in set piece exchange, notching his fourth try of the tournament at a crucial moment. Fly half Thad Summers converted the strike to put Hong Kong in the lead 19-12.

That effort was followed by a try from Toby Jurecka on Hong Kong’s next attack, after Hong Kong kicked deep from a penalty to set the attacking lineout with the rolling maul effort putting the burly back rower over the line.

The conversion put Hong Kong 24-12 to the good before prop Nick McGrory finished a three on one overlap against the Korean defence to push out to 29-12. A fifth try followed in the 62^nd minute with winger Tomek Tsang flashing clear after being sprung by a good carry and offload from Panday and Karton to put the speedster into space and put Hong Kong ahead 29-12.

Korea came back with an inevitable late try but Hong Kong were clear 29-19 and after Taipei could only muster a 14-7 win over Singapore had won their seventh Asia Rugby U19s title on the trot.

Hong Kong U19 Squad (ASIA RUGBY UNDER 19 CHAMPIONSHIP 2019)

1.Andrew AU, 2. Ethan BRISCOE,  3. Anthony COEBERGH, 4. James GOSTICK,  5. Thomas HO, 6. Toby JURECKA, 7. Nick KARTON, 8. Sean KENNEDY, 9. Joseph KNIGHT, 10. Josiah KWOK, 11. Martin LAVAL, 12. Mervyn LO, 13. Nick MCGRORY, 14. Simon MORRIS, 15. Tiarnan NEVILLE, 16. Douglas O’DONNELL, 17. Will PANDAY, 18. James RIVERS, 19. Ethan SERJEANT, 20. Thaddeus SUMMERS, 21. SUNG Wai Shing, 22. Alessandro SYSTERMANS, 23. Tomek TSANG, 24. Liam WALTERS, 25. Mario WONG, 26. ZHOU Tianlong