HONG KONG U20 BEAT ZIMBABWE TO COLLECT FIRST EVER WIN AT WORLD RUGBY U20 TROPHY

02nd May 2016

The Hong Kong National Men’s U20 rugby team claimed seventh place at the 2016 World Rugby Under 20 Trophy in Zimbabwe after beating the hosts 44-40 in the seventh-place play-off.

Hong Kong withstood a strong second-half fight back from Zimbabwe after a first half free-for-all which produced 10 tries in total and left Hong Kong leading 44-28 lead at half-time.

Zimbabwe started the scoring spree after just three minutes when hooker Lebogang Ngwenya finished off his own quickly taken lineout inside the Hong Kong 22. But Hong Kong then reeled off three unanswered tries in the space of six minutes, outside centre James Karton grabbing the first after a good handling move involving outside backs Matthew Worley and James Christie.

Zimbabwe gifted Hong Kong their second try when attempts to run the ball inside their own 22 ended in disaster, Austin Robertshaw benefitting with an easy run-in after a spilt pass.

Minutes later, Zimbabwe found themselves trailing 20-6 after Liam Owens, playing at fly-half, broke through and scored.

Zimbabwe captain Connor Pritchard led the fight-back with a 15th minute try, before right winger Sam Phiri showed great footballing skills to regather his own kick ahead and then twisted and turned his way out of a tackle to go over in the corner. Zimbabwe retook the lead in the 20th minute when a break from livewire scrum-half Ernest Mudzengerere led to a try for wing Tawanda Ngosi.

Parity was soon restored as Robertshaw got on the end of an inside pass from full-back Christie for his second try after a good break down the left by Karton. Owens nailed the difficult conversion.

Scrum-half Jack Combes scampered over from a quickly-taken tap penalty for try number five before Worley rounded off an incredible first 40 minutes after Zimbabwe had been reduced to 13 men following yellow cards for Ngwenya and number eight Daniel Nyamugama for dangerous tackles.

Trailing 44-28, Zimbabwe needed to get the first score of the second half to stay in touch and they duly obliged when second-row Aidan Burnett burst off the back of an attacking scrum and powered through the attempted tackles of Ben Tang Cheuk Hang and Owens to narrow the deficit to 44-34.

The hosts continued to dominate territory and possession but a lack of composure in attack and some strong work at the breakdown by the Hong Kong defence, captain and No. 8 Pierce Mackinlay-West in particular, prevented them scoring any more points until the 73rd minute.

For the first time in the half, Zimbabwe was able to move the ball smoothly down the line creating an opportunity for winger Tarisai Mapfumo to cross over, putting Zimbabwe just four points off the lead.

With time running out, Matt Worley produced a good tackle to stifle Zimbabwe’s best attack of the final minutes. That foray into Hong Kong’s territory was the last real scare for the Under 20s as they controlled the game well to play out the closing stages in Zimbabwe’s half to claim seventh place in the tournament.

It was Hong Kong’s first win in the World Rugby U20 Trophy on their third appearance. Hong Kong’s seventh placed finish also marks their best performance in the competition since first qualifying as hosts in 2014.

Hong Kong Men’s U20:

1. Ken Encarnacion, 2. John Markley, 3. Callum Smith, 4. Cheung Ho Yin, 5. Alessandro Nardoni, 6. Jonathan Healy, 7. Ben Tang Cheuk Hang, 8. Pierce Mackinlay-West (captain), 9. Jack Combes, 10. Liam Owens, 11. Austin Robertshaw, 12. Ron Siew, 13. James Karton, 14. Matthew Worley, 15. James Christie, 16. Lachlan Oliver-Kerby, 18. Michael Earley, 17. Wesley Yip, 19. Oisin Harbitz, 20. Hugo Chui, 21. Mark Coebergh, 22. Paul Altier.

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