SOUTH ISLAND SCHOOL BIDS TO DEFEND BILL WILLIAMS SCHOOLS SEVENS TITLE

28th Jan 2016


Tomorrow sees the latest instalment of the historic Standard Chartered Bill Williams Schools Sevens Tournament at King’s Park (13.00 to 19.00).

Organised jointly by the Hong Kong Rugby Union and the Hong Kong Schools Rugby Union, the Bill Williams School Sevens Tournament is Hong Kong Rugby’s oldest youth competition, dating back to the inception of the then Hong Kong Junior Rugby Union in 1971 and named after Williams, a pioneer of youth rugby in Hong Kong.

The tournament features Cup, Plate and Bowl competitions for the Boys Division, contested by ten teams including last year’s champions South Island School, and a five-team Girls competition, in which the teams finishing first and second in the round robin stage will compete for the Cup.

The Girls competition was introduced in 2013-14 and has been won by King George V school on both previous occasions.

Competing Boys teams include South Island School, YMCA of Hong Kong Christian College, Chinese International School, New Territories Select and Harrow in Pool A, while Pool B features Island School, Renaissance College, Hong Kong International School, King George V School and a Kowloon/IS Select.

The Girls Division features King George V, Harrow, Shatin College & Discovery College Girls, Hong Kong International School and the YMCA of Hong Kong Christian College.

South Island School is again the side to beat in the Boys competition. Last year, they saw off Island School 35-0 in the final, while French International School took the Plate after overcoming YMCA 24-0. Chinese International School won the Bowl by beating Renaissance College 10-7.

In the Girls competition, King George V is looking to make it three titles in succession, having topped the table in last year’s tournament with four wins out of four.

Marc Sexton, Director of Sport and Head Rugby Coach at South Island School commented on the upcoming tournament saying, “Students and staff at SIS like the Bill Williams Schools Sevens Tournament. It’s a traditional tournament, with lots of history including a record dating back many decades and there is a great rivalry among the schools. It’s a formidable and prestigious tournament to take part in.”

Confirming the tournament’s popularity at South Island School, and the steady growth in Schools Rugby across all leagues, South Island School will enter a Girls team into the competition for the first time this year.“It is a developmental side and we think the event will be good experience for them,” says Sexton.

“The Boys are already quite experienced thanks to our policy of developing younger players by giving them pitch time in competitions to maintain momentum for the school’s rugby set-up as a whole,” added Sexton.

The strategy seems to be paying off as SIS backed up last year’s successful campaign with notable successes in the 2015/16 season, including winning the inaugural Hong Kong Schools Sevens League last Autumn. The Schools Sevens league features three tournaments followed by a final.

South Island School also won the Schools Rugby league (XVs) this season, wrapping up the title in December after beating Hong Kong Island School in the final.

Last year’s victory marked the second Bill Williams title for South Island School in the past five years, they also won the tournament in 2012, ending a dry patch that dated back to 1988.Sexton anticipates the school’s promising run will continue in this year’s tournament saying, “Despite injuries to three of our best players we have strength in depth and will be putting out a strong side. We feel positive ahead of the tournament. We have good pedigree players with several playing at Hong Kong and good club level.”


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