The Hong Kong Men’s Sevens team reached its first final of the Asia Rugby Sevens Series 2015 in Sri Lanka, losing a tough encounter against Japan 29-22 to claim second in the standings in Sri Lanka. The results were good enough to move Hong Kong up from fifth place after the first tournament to second at the completion of the Asia Rugby Sevens Series.

Given historical form, the Colombo final could be a preview of the battle for Asia’s sole guaranteed place in the men’s Sevens competition at the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro when Rugby Sevens will mark its Olympic debut.

The sole qualification tournament for the men’s teams, the Asia Rugby Sevens Qualifier, will be held in Hong Kong on November 7-8.Asia’s women’s sevens teams will play in a two-leg qualification series starting in Hong Kong in November and finishing with a second tournament in Tokyo later in the same month.

The formbook was restored in the men’s competition in Sri Lanka, with Hong Kong and Japan claiming their customary top two spots in the region. South Korea and Sri Lanka are both running close, with China throwing its hat into the ring, but these teams lack the consistency required to break the stranglehold of Hong Kong and Japan – although everyone will be wary of the chance results at the Asia Rugby Sevens Qualifier that could potentially send an upstart to Rio.

After finishing fifth in the opening tournament, Hong Kong have replied strongly in the remaining events, taking bronze in Thailand and silver in Sri Lanka.

Hong Kong are amassing solid momentum towards the first ever Asian Olympic qualifier for Rugby Sevens to be held in the SAR, with a goal of becoming the first Hong Kong team sport to qualify for the Olympics in 50 years.

“I was very pleased with the performance we put in this weekend and on the Series as a whole,” said Hong Kong coach Gareth Baber.

“We dropped that game in China [Note: Hong Kong lost in the opening tournament in Qingdao to hosts China], but the players know what they needed to do and were very mindful of getting better game by game, which we have done.

“We wanted to use the series as a way to develop our game and get some of the emerging players some game time, but also to get ourselves into a good position for the Qualifiers at home in November. I think we have done that. We have had a couple of good results and are now in the position we want to be in.
“It is a tight competition with Japan, Korea, Sri Lanka and China all pushing for positions but I think we are satisfied with what we have achieved on the series. We have had two games against Japan, with the difference being two tries. We will have one more tournament to build up at the Central Coast in Australia and then come back for two weeks of preparation for the Olympic qualifier,” Baber added.

Hong Kong’s cumulative results - and a handy defeat of South Korea by Sri Lanka in Colombo - have seen Hong Kong move from fifth to second on the final Asia Rugby Sevens Series standings. The results have secured Hong Kong’s spot in the next qualification tournament for a full-time place on the HSBC Sevens World Series with the top two sides in the region progressing to that international qualification tournament.

But the team will have all eyes on November’s Olympic Qualifiers at the moment. After blooding some new young players on the Series including U20s sevens star Calvin Hunter who has had significant playing time this season, Baber will have one more opportunity to fine-tune his selection for the Olympic qualifier.Hong Kong will travel to Australia to play in the Central Coast Sevens on October 24-25.

Baber will use that opportunity to hopefully integrate some experienced campaigners coming off injury including top scoring threat Tom McQueen and grafter Mark Wright as well as forwards Tsang Hing Hung and Kwok Ka Chun, who are all progressing for a potential return in November.

One of Baber’s injured senior players has already received an opportunity this weekend in Keith Robertson, who has been hampered for the last few seasons with a variety of ailments. Robertson showed that despite the injury woes, he still has the X-factor in Colombo with the ability to break down the interior defensive line. His pairing with flyhalf Jamie Hood proved fruitful for Hong Kong in the build-up to the final in Colombo.

“Keith did well,” said Baber. “It was nice to see him back in action, although personally I haven’t seen that much of him in a match setting because of his injuries. People in Hong Kong know what Keith can add. He has an ability on a sevens pitch that other players don’t and he had a lot of time on the ball this weekend and created space well, even nipping a few tries for us when we needed them. Emotionally he is very calm and he knows how to play in those pressure situations,” added Baber.

But while Hong Kong waits on the return of more of their experienced cadre, Hong Kong struggled to overcome Japan on the series. Despite a brave fightback in Colombo, Japan’s size and speed advantage saw them run out 29-22 winners with five tries to Hong Kong’s four.

“There wasn’t much between the two teams in the final or on the series. We have now played Japan twice, with two tries being the difference across those matches. I think we made a few individual errors and didn’t quite deal with some of the pressurised situations as well as they did, but we battled right through to the end,” said Baber.

Hong Kong opened the scoring with Alex McQueen running in the first of his brace, but Japan replied just minutes later and quickly took control of the first half. McQueen got his second just before half-time to take Hong Kong into the break 17-12 down. Chris Maize and Salom Yiu Kam-shing added further tries in the second period, but a brace from Kazuhiro Goya and another from Katsuyuki Sakai, the tournament’s top men’s scorer on 46 points from four tries and 13 conversions, sealed Hong Kong’s fate.

The Hong Kong Women’s Seven were also upended by Japan, this time in the cup semi final, but claimed third after beating an improved Thailand Seven 21-15.

The result in Colombo - combined with the women’s first ever tournament title to open the series in China, left Hong Kong tied for second - its highest ever spot in the Asian women’s sevens standings. However a better points differential saw China claim second ahead of Hong Kong who finished in third on the Series. The Women will also play in Hong Kong in November, the first of a two-leg Olympic qualification series, followed by a tournament in Japan.

Aggie Poon Pak-yan’s boot was the difference in the 3rd/4th play-off match against the Thais, who matched Hong Kong’s three tries but failed to make any conversions. Tries by Candy Cheng Tsz-ting, Sham Wai-sum and Poon saw Hong Kong exact revenge on Thailand for edging them 7-5 in the pools on Saturday. Poon finished the tournament as the top woman points-scorer with 41 from five tries and eight conversions. In the women’s Cup final on Sunday night, Japan beat arch-rivals China 33-12.

“We are extremely proud of how the women’s team have done. They have battled for a few years and have finally come through, winning their first tournament this season. In Colombo, they battled again and while some of the results didn’t go our way, they finished tied second on the series - third overall based on points differential and are in good position now for the qualifiers,” Baber said.

Hong Kong Men’s Sevens Squad (Sri Lanka): Max WOODWARD (captain); Christopher MAIZE; LEE Ka To, Cado; Michael COVERDALE; Nicholas HEWSON; Calvin HUNTER; Keith ROBERTSON*; Alex MCQUEEN; Jamie HOOD; Rowan VARTY; YIU Kam Shing, Salom; Jack CAPON*.

Hong Kong Women’s Sevens Squad (Sri Lanka):CHENG Ka Chi, Christy (captain); Natasha OLSON-THORNE (vice captain); NAM Ka Man; Candy CHENG Tsz Ting; Aggie POON Pak Yan; SHAM Wai Sum; Colleen TJOSVOLD; Stephanie CUVELIER; KWONG Sau Yan; Lindsay VARTY*; Adrienne GARVEY*; LEE Tsz Ting*.

*2015 Asia Rugby Sevens Series debut