Between 28^th April and 1^st May 2017, the Hong Kong Football Club (HKFC) U12 Girls embarked on a ground breaking first ever tour when they went to Bangkok to take part in the Bangkok Young Ladies Rugby Sevens 2017. On 28^th April 2017, a very excited tour party, including 20 players plus coaches and parents, arrived in Bangkok raring to go. The next day the girls traveled to Plearnpattana School, which was hosting the tour and the tournament, where they took part in a joint training session with the Pleaernpattana girls. This was a great opportunity for all the players to get to know each other and experience each other’s culture.

The next day saw the tournament itself in which seven U12 Girls teams were entered. Two from HKFC, Ice and Fire, two from Plearnpattana School and three others from Suksasongkrohnarathiwat School, Watkanjanaram School and Banbak School, with some of the teams traveling from across the country to take part. What followed was a magnificent display of top class competition with all the teams playing good hard rugby but even more importantly, playing in the true spirit of friendship and respect. After a very hard fought day of 7s rugby which saw some fantastic games, the Bowl Final saw Banbak School beat Suksasongkrohnarathiwat School whilst in the Plate Final Plearnpattana School 1^st team edged their 2^nd team to claim the silverware. For the Cup, this was decided in a very tight final round robin series between the top three placed teams from the pool stage; HKFC Ice, HKFC Fire and Watkanjanaram School. HKFC Ice came out winners in the end after drawing with HKFC Fire 7-7 and beating Watkanjanaram School 12-0, who then played out a very tight 0-0 draw with HKFC Fire, which gave Fire the first runners up spot. The day ended with a closing ceremony and a fun filled party for all the girls, which was a fitting end to a brilliant day.

The tour was a great example of the spirit of rugby at its very best and massive thanks must go to Pisanu Kamolnate from Plearnpattana School for organizing a first class tournament, Jim Dubow and LI Hong from HKFC for their hard work in helping organize the tour and the HKFC and their sponsors Natixis, Withers, FTI Consulting and Williams Lea Tag, for supporting the tour and sponsoring the five Po Leung Kuk players who joined the tour and their escorts. A weekend of very special memories for all involved in which the girls did their Club and Hong Kong proud.