[Hong Kong, 26 July 2023]: The Hong Kong China men’s U20s rugby team lost to Kenya 22-16 in their final pool match of the World Rugby U20 Trophy 2023 in Nairobi. Hong Kong China will now face off with the United States of America in the 7th place play-off decider on Sunday, 30 July.

A free-flowing first half saw both teams have plenty of scoring chances, but Kenya ended the first period in the superior position after reclaiming an early lead in the waning moments to head Hong Kong China 15-10 at half-time.

Kenya opened the scoring after just five minutes with a well-worked team try punctuated by some heavy carries from the home team forwards and finished by prop Mike Oduor who crashed over the tryline from in close to take an early 7-0 lead after the conversion from Eddy Murage.
Hong Kong China’s forwards were equally efficient in setting up the visitors first points of the day. An enterprising jackal from the re-start after Kenya’s try gave Hong Kong possession in the Kenyan half. Seconds later, an off-sides penalty against the hosts offered fullback Dylan McCann his first shot at goal. He converted his attempt to close the gap to 7-3.

Hong Kong took its first lead of the match through a try from talismanic captain Tyler McNutt who capped a textbook driving maul from a lineout in Kenyan territory to cross the whitewash. McCann’s conversion pushed the margin to 10-7, giving Hong Kong China its first lead after 12 minutes.

Kenya turned to the driving maul as its prime source of attack late in the half, causing problems. Kenya nearly converted one of these opportunities into points but for a try-saving tackle from Max Threlkeld, who somehow positioned his body under the ball of a Kenyan lineout drive over the line on the 30-minute marker. A penalty against Hong Kong China for not rolling away in the same passage of play was converted by Murage as Kenya levelled the score at 10-all.

In the 35th minute wing Joe Denmark was sin-binned for a dangerous tackle leaving Hong Kong China a man short. Kenya wasted no time in capitalizing, kicking for the lineout and driving the maul over the try-line for their second try of the half. The score from Jacktone Omondi extended Kenya’s lead to 15-10 at the break after the conversion was missed.

Hong Kong China began the second half in style, forcing the hosts to concede an offsides penalty at the re-start. McCann slotted the penalty to close the gap to 15-13 as Denmark returned to the field to return Hong Kong to full strength for the second half. 

Oduor was again the hero for Kenya, scoring his brace and Kenya’s third try from an attack that developed from another powerful rolling maul up field. A succession of Kenyan attacks eventually positioned the burly prop into space for his second try; Murage’s conversion pushed Kenya ahead by two scores at 22-13 with 30 minutes left.

For the rest of the game, Hong Kong China controlled possession but had little to show for its efforts. A third off-sides penalty of the young second half against Kenya was once again punished by McCann, who slotted his third from the tee to close the gap to 22-16 inside the final quarter.

Encouraged by its vociferous home support, Kenya responded beautifully, intercepting a Hong Kong China pass off the base of the scrum to bring the attack to the visitors’ try-line before captain McNutt produced a sensational steal on the ground to reclaim possession.

Hong Kong China controlled much of the play in the second half but had little territory to show for it and nothing in the way of points. Kenya built off its stellar defensive stand with greater intensity and belief in their attacks late as they snuffed out chance after chance for Hong Kong China to eventually run out the clock and claim their first win at the World Rugby U20 Trophy 2023.

“We met a Kenyan wall that we just couldn’t break today,” said Hong Kong China U20s coach Logan Asplin after the match.

“One of the big things today for us was our execution, and we didn’t quite get that right, but that Kenyan defence was outstanding. We created opportunities, but we didn’t take enough of them,” added Asplin. 

The team will now advance to the finals round on Sunday against the USA.

“USA now on Sunday, and obviously we will be out to finish on top of that game. They are a class outfit; well prepared and well resourced, but there is everything to play for in our last game. This current squad will never be together again, so we have one last dance to have a go. The boys will be hurting and upset after today, but we just want to reload and go again, that is what campaigns like this are all about,” he added. 

“So close and yet so far,” said disappointed captain Tyler Mcnutt who focused on the growth journey this team is on: “There is so much progress for this group from training camp to today. We wanted to show that and I think we have. We have learned a lot, as a team and as individuals - and not just rugby, we have learned how to grow and be resilient. It is all around growth not just on the pitch,” he said.