Hong Kong put in a 13-try performance against Malaysia in today’s Asia Rugby Championship encounter at Hong Kong Football Club to move one step closer to the Rugby World Cup 2019 repechage stages with the championship finale to come next Saturday against South Korea.

Ahead of the match, coach Leigh Jones had called on his charges to put points on the board and that they did, with wing Conor Hartley leading all scorers with a hat trick, while scrumhalf Jamie Lauder scored his first (and second) tries for Hong Kong this afternoon.

Hong Kong declared its intent early on - and then delivered on it - with a 91-10 hammering of Malaysia that sets the stage for Hong Kong to claim its first Asian title under the new format introduced by Asia Rugby in 2008.

After being awarded a kickable penalty in the opening minute, Hong Kong opted to kick deep for an attacking line-out which led to the game’s first try as lock Jamie Pincott smashed over from in close to put Hong Kong on the board.

Tries flowed thick and fast after that as Hong Kong had secured a bonus point and scored five tries by the 20-minute marker.  

Winger Max Denmark also scored his first try for Hong Kong this afternoon, moments after Pincott’s effort, before Hartley crossed over untouched for his first try of the game, taking the clean ball from Lauder off a Hong Kong scrum deep in Malaysian territory.

Hartley followed up his effort with a second successive try moments later, this time off a barnstorming run with the towering winger unstoppable in open field.  Hartley would add his third try to start the second half and late in the match set up Lauder’s second score with another punishing run and perfectly timed offload as Hong Kong piled the points on the board.

Captain Jamie Tsang added a first half try and Hong Kong was also awarded a penalty try in the opening stanza after buckling Malaysia’s scrum on the visitors try-line.

In all, Hong Kong posted seven tries in the first half with Ben Rimene accounting for five conversions and fly half Matt Rosslee a sixth (there is no conversion attempt following a penalty try).  Rimene maintained his perfect record in the second half, converting all of Hong Kong’s six tries after the break, as first Hartley then lock Jack Delaforce, reserve centre Jack Neville, reserve flanker Mike Parfitt, Lauder, and prop Adam Fullgrabe all crossed the whitewash over the final forty minutes.

Malaysia only mustered one attack in the first half and No.8 Etonia Saukuru finished well off the fringes of a scrum on the Hong Kong line. Late in the match, Malaysia opted to kick for posts to bring their tally to ten points.

Even more pleasing than Hong Kong’s offensive display today was the performance of the starting 23, which included nearly a dozen changes from the squad used in the opening rounds of the championship, including four debutants, each of whom earned first caps: scrumhalf Henry Poon and forwards Ted Soppet, Chris Pierrepont and Ronan Donnelly.

It was a workmanlike performance in the best sense of the word for Hong Kong and coach Leigh Jones was pleased with the result as it leaves South Korea with a mountain to climb in their hopes of advancing to the Rugby World Cup play-off stages.

“It was always going to be a potentially difficult game, but for different reasons. It was important we tried a few youngsters today and we did that.

“We challenged the guys to be professional all week and I think they were today. We came out and gave ourselves a real good points difference cushion now over South Korea.

“We stuck to it right to the end and our fitness levels were great. It speaks volumes to the strength of the domestic league in Hong Kong to be able to bring new guys on for their first international and they don’t look out of place,” Jones said.

The winner of this season’s Asian championship will advance to a home-and-away series versus Cook Islands in July to determine with the winner advancing to a final four-team qualifier in France in autumn. Today’s result leaves Hong Kong in a commanding spot on the Asian championship table with Korea all but mathematically eliminated.

“Mathematically, we just need a bonus point now to be absolutely secure [over South Korea]. But I think we want a win. So only a win will do,” said Jones.

The players also had the opportunity to play in the presence of the Webb Ellis Cup, the games most coveted prize, on display as part of the Rugby World Cup 2019 Trophy Tour.

Arriving in Hong Kong earlier in the week, the Trophy Tour engaged with thousands of rugby fans visiting schools, clubs and training sessions, iconic city locations, and was formally welcomed by the HKRU and the rugby community, including Rugby World Cup 1987 winner Terry Wright and Rugby World Cup 2003 winner Josh Lewsey.

Fans at today’s game had the opportunity to take photos and see the Webb Ellis Cup up-close before the Trophy Tour travels to Beijing for the next leg of the programme. The tour aims to inspire new audiences and participants through a programme of community, education and rugby activities in the lead up to Japan 2019.