The Hong Kong Rugby Union National team fell to a 38-6 defeat at the hands of University of Waikato Chiefs Development squad today at Hong Kong Football Club.

Hong Kong held their own for the first 60 minutes, trailing 7-6 at the break and 10-6 entering the final quarter, when the visitors found another gear - exploding for four tries in the final twenty minutes to romp home with the 38-6 win.

Hong Kong started strongly, edging into Chiefs Development squad territory right from the opening kick-off when good chase pressure forced the visitors into conceding an early penalty that was slotted by Ben Rimene, who played nearly the full match at fly-half, to take a 3-0 lead after three minutes.

The Chiefs Development squad replied moments later with their only try of the first half coming off a clever interchange between their mobile back-rowers and back three created the mismatch on Dan Falvey, who captained Hong Kong from No.8 in the first half, putting the Chiefs clear for the try. Captain Codey Rei slotted the conversion, his first of six successful kicks at goal (five conversions and a penalty) this afternoon, giving the visitors a lead (7-3) that they wouldn’t relinquish for the rest of the game.

The remainder of the opening half was evenly contested with Hong Kong the only side to add points on the board before half-time after Rimene slotted his second penalty in the 24th minute to bring the hosts to within one point of the Chiefs Development squad (7-6) at the break.

Both coaches took advantage of the free rotation policy with Hong Kong making eight changes at half time. Captain Nick Hewson came on for Falvey at No.8, while hooker Jamie Tsang gave way for Lachlan Chubb in the front row. Tight-head prop Rohan Cook was replaced through injury shortly before the break with Alex Ng Wai Shing coming on for the remainder of the match. Lock Paul Dwyer came off for Henjo van Niekerk in a size-for-size shift, while James Cunningham moved from flanker into the second row at half-time, replacing Adrian Griffiths, to make room for Tony Wong Ho Yeung on the blind-side. Toby Fenn came on for Matt Lamming at open-side in the second half.

In the backs, Adam Rolston started at scrum-half before giving way to Charles Cheung Ho Ning after the break, while the first half centre pairing of Tyler Spitz and Ed Rolston were replaced by another hard-hitting duo in Lee Jones and Lex Kaleca for the final half.

Tom McColl anchored the back three at fullback in the first half, being replaced by Rowan Varty for the second before coming on as a reserve for Ben Rimene at fly half late in the match. Wings Jamie Robinson and Salom Yiu Kam Shing, who looked the most dangerous of Hong Kong’s attackers this afternoon, each played a full match.

Despite the raft of changes, Hong Kong managed to retain its shape in the third quarter, an onslaught from the Chiefs Development squad notwithstanding, but fell off the pace in the final quarter at one point conceding three tries in ten minutes to the visitors.

Hong Kong’s second half momentum was largely generated against the run of play with hard-tackling centre Lex Kaleca and Toby Fenn helping to keep the visitors on edge in the early stages after resumption of play.

While not unseating the visitors, the solid play of the centre and back row pairings in both halves against the Chiefs Development squad could prove a bright spark for Hong Kong in the Asian championships later this month.

In the 62nd minute the visitors scored their second try of the match, once again from some pretty multi-phase play and seamless integration between their forwards and backs, which forced overlaps out wide for Hong Kong. Rei’s conversion from the far touchline extended the lead to 17-6.

Hong Kong allowed a third try minutes later after choosing to take the re-start kick deep to the corner but failing to maintain a solid defensive line on the chase. Rei ran beautifully in support, entering the line at the opportune moment to carry the ball across halfway and across the pitch - before offloading to the right wing who danced across the line. Rei’s conversion pushed the lead out to 24-6.

The visitors then scored their third try in ten minutes – this time muscling over from in close after marching up field after a clever kick put Hong Kong on its heels deep in its own half. The Chiefs Development squad took the lineout cleanly and burrowed the ball towards the posts finishing a tap and run penalty with a barging run over the line. Rei’s conversion pushed the lead to 31-6 but the visitors weren’t finished yet, scoring a fifth try in the final minute to run out 38-6 winners.

With objectives focussed more on preparations for the Asian Championship than today’s results Hong Kong coach Leigh Jones was satisfied with the occasion:

“When you take into consideration the quality of the opposition it was a very good 60 minutes from us. But in the final 20 the Chiefs did what they do well and ran us around a little. I was pleased with the first 40 minutes, but we picked up a few injuries and made a lot of changes at halftime, so it was a bit disjointed in the second half. You can’t afford to be disjointed against a team of their quality,” Jones said.

Jones found a lot of positives in hitting out versus top-shelf opposition saying, “There were some things today that we can build on, but as you saw in the last 20, there are still some things to work on as well. Overall, I don't think we are in a bad position with two weeks to go before our first match in the Asian championships.”

Today’s encounter also gave Jones an opportunity to examine some of the new crop of players capped in last November’s Cup of Nations - when Jones was coaching with Japan - and to test two of three potential debutants in his Asian championship squad in prop Ben Higgins and lock Henjo van Niekerk. The third, winger Ryan Meacheam, was rested today after playing in the Cathay Pacific/HSBC Hong Kong Sevens earlier this month.

Higgins played nearly the entire game, coming off in the 75th minute with a slight hand injury while von Niekerk played the entire second half.

“I was generally pleased with the new boys. Ben did well, as did Toby [Fenn] when he came on and it was nice to see Henjo having a run around as well. What today will do for them is invaluable; it gives them an insight into this level of rugby. There are some tired bodies in the change rooms at the moment, so they will know what this level is all about now,” Jones concluded.

University of Waikato Chiefs Development coach Dave Dillon noted the improvements in the Hong Kong set-up after last year’s debut visit saying, “After last year, we knew it was going to be a tough match. The first half was pretty scrappy and Hong Kong put a lot of pressure on us. I think we were trying too much, looking for miracle offloads and when you do that you don’t put any pressure on.

“In the second half, we just wanted to build pressure and get that 2-3 second ruck ball going with the first couple of phases. Once you do that you are away. We achieved that and that obviously reflected in the second half and the score at the end. But it wasn’t easy.

“Hong Kong with the way they are building their programme now and getting their athletes in a full-time environment, it was certainly a step up for us from last year,” said Dillon.

This week the Chiefs Development Squad and Hong Kong have been training intensively with the visitors also using the facilities at the Elite Rugby Training Centre at THEi.

Dillon believes that the new structures in place in Hong Kong fifteen-a-side game will pay off in future: “The team has their own space now and their own identity, which is really important. It is great to see for Hong Kong rugby.”

“It’s been a great week here for us, said Dillon “You get a lot out of it in terms of both player and personal development. The boys have spent a lot of time together and we have spent a lot of time with them so it has been good. We are really appreciative of the Hong Kong Rugby Union for organising this week for us,” added Dillon.