Hong Kong beat Chinese Taipei in the finale of the Asia Rugby U19s championship, 19-12, to claim a seventh straight Asian junior title. The win also sealed a place for Hong Kong at the World Rugby Junior Trophy next July in Kenya played at U20 level.   

It was a scrappy game played in sloppy conditions with heavy rains at kick-off leaving the pitch a morass. After the rains stopped, the sun came out and the humidity climbed with neither team able to hold on to a greasy ball in a match littered with knock-ons and forward passes. “It was a tough battle with both teams up for it and a lot on the line,” said coach Logan Asplin. 

“That big downpour in the warm-up followed by the sun, it was like four seasons in one day, which was taxing on the body, but it was good for the players to have adapt to that. 

“The game was stop-start and there were a lot of whistles, but we went into it wanting to do three things: win the collision; play in the right areas; and earn the right to score from anywhere on the park. Some of those things we executed well, but it doesn’t always have to be pretty. We are stoked to get that win and it was a pretty elated group of boys there at the end,” Asplin added. With the conditions taking both teams’ line speed out of the game it was a level affair. A taut first half saw Hong Kong leading 7-5 at the break. That margin was provided by fullback Blake Elliot who sold a beautiful dummy pass to create a solo try from 30-metres out. Sixteen year old fly-half Cooper Wnek added the extras. 

Taipei replied brilliantly, taking the ball from the restart to Hong Kong’s five-metre line for an attacking line-out, one of their strengths. The drive worked and a ten-man shove put Taipei over the line but the conversion was short, leaving Hong Kong with the slim 7-5 lead. Both sides then traded opportunities but neither could convert. Hong Kong were held back by a series of forward passes, some poor kicking from hand, and problems at the lineout, but they saved themselves repeatedly with a fine defensive effort to stop Taipei’s dangerous backs at the source. 

At the start of the second half, Hong Kong capitalized on a dropped ball in a Taipei attack, kicking it up field. Under pressure, the defender conceded a penalty. A heads up tap and go penalty moved the attack to the try-line where Hong Kong’s forwards retained possession over multiple phases. The ball eventually came out for No.8 Dominic Hedley who showed quick hands to shovel it to a waiting Wnek who scored in the corner. His conversion pushed Hong Kong’s lead to 14-5 with 25 minutes left. 

 Chinese Taipei nearly replied immediately when they charged down a slow clearance kick from Elliot deep in Hong Kong’s half, but the ball went over the dead-ball line. Taipei continued to look dangerous out wide, creating overlaps, but a combination of good defence and loose passing kept them from converting. 

A struggling lineout and some poor kicking from hand returned the advantage to Taipei and they brought play again to the Hong Kong try-line. Hong Kong’s defensive wall was solid initially, but eventually crumbled under the succession of attacks as Taipei scored a second forwards try. The conversion was good as Taipei closed the gap to 14-12 inside the final 15 minutes. 

A great chase on the re-start by wing James Kee gave Hong Kong a vital opportunity inside Taipei’s 22. The short lineout looked to have worked as hooker Luke Laskowski crossed the line but the referee called him back for a knock-on after an interminable pause. Minutes of madness then ensued, as Taipei nearly produced a try from a second charge down off of a Wnek clearance; they took the ball to the line before the blue wave defence somehow ripped it from the ball carriers’ hands. 

Wnek then hoofed a long ball up field, which triggered a succession of footraces and grubber kicks with reserve winger Matisse Guillot nudging it forward on the first lap, before getting help from his fellow backs with a second kick and chase bringing play to the try-line. The frenetic end to end action seemed to have even tired the referee who finally whistled for a scrum advantage to Hong Kong with time winding down. The forwards produced a positive platform for scrumhalf Camill Cheung, who was surehanded despite the conditions. He found Eliot on the blind side, who then ushered it out to Kee for the try, once again in the far left corner. Wnek’s conversion missed but Hong Kong pushed the margin to a converted try at 19-12. 

On defence, Hong Kong were pinged for two penalties in a row setting the stage for a last ditch attacking lineout for Taipei. This time, the defence held strong as a team effort helped hold the ball carrier up over the line after numerous phases. Hong Kong then held on to possession to outlast the clock and claim a seventh straight Asian title. 

Asplin was proud of his charges who produced another crown despite having only ten sessions in Hong Kong and integrating six overseas-based players on the ground in Malaysia. “From the start the connectivity in the group was impressive. There were no egos and despite the diversity in ages, and guys coming from different backgrounds, schools and even countries, everyone came together and did something really special for Hong Kong,” he said.