HSBC PRIMARY SCHOOL TOUCH RUGBY CHAMPIONSHIP

05日 五月 2017

On 24 April 76 teams from 26 primary schools, including 2 from across the border, participated in the HSBC Primary School Touch Rugby Championship at King’s Park Sports Ground.

This tournament is part of the HSBC Try Rugby initiative, that over the coming years will mean every local PE teacher graduating from the Education University of Hong Kong will leave having completed a basic touch rugby coaching course and clutching a rugby manual and a resource pack; in turn this will facilitate the Union’s strategic goal of embedding rugby in 240 primary schools by the end of 2019.

There was a great cross section of the education sector represented on the pitch, with international schools playing alongside local Government and DSS schools, and a strong representation from the Po Leung Kuk, who have 22 of their primary schools engaged in an ongoing programme. Whilst taking home trophies wasn’t the main message of the day, for the record the boys’ Cup winners were Kellett International School and Sujiatun District Penoy Street Primary School from Shenyang, whilst for the girls Kellett triumphed again along with Po Leung Kuk Siu Hon Sum Primary School.

LCSD Easy Sports Competition & Shatin Shapei Mini Festival

There was no rest for our little ankle-biting primary school players, as 29 schools were back having fun-in-the-sun the following Sunday at Shek Kip Mei Sports Ground.

This is the annual competition for schools who have participated in the Leisure & Cultural Services Department’s “Easy Sports” programme, which is one of the Government’s key initiatives to promote sport in local schools. Meanwhile up at King’s Park the Shatin Shapei Mini Rugby Club were hosting their regional festival – each year, in addition to the “Big Six” full festivals there are a number of smaller tournaments where only a smaller grouping of the 21 mini clubs come together…the next regional festival is on Sunday 7th April hosted by the Aberdeen Dolphins at Aberdeen Stadium.

Hong Kong Games

That same beautiful sunny long weekend of 29th April to 1st May saw 36 teams battle for the title of District Champions at the 1st Hong Kong Games Rugby Sevens. The men’s final between Sai Kung and Kwun Tong went to the wire, with Sai Kung’s captain scoring the winning try on the final play; Yuen Long took bronze medal, Central/Western the Plate, Taipo the Bowl and Wong Tai Sin the Shield. It was a bit more clinical for women’s final with Yuen Long’s great defense and pace outwide overpowering Tsuen Wan to claim the crown, with Sha Tin taking bronze, Kowloon City the Plate, Kwun Tong the Bowl and Kwai Tsing the Shield.

Congratulations to Sai Kung and Yuen Long, who will now head to New York in July to represent Hong Kong at the Hell Gate 7s facebook.com/hellgate7s. A great tournament overall and we look forward to having the opportunity seeing Rugby Sevens in future Hong Kong Games.

Sanix World Rugby Youth Tournament

Meanwhile in Japan…our U18 girls were taking part in arguably the world’s toughest youth 7s competition! Under the title of “Hong Kong Sports School”, they lined up in a pool alongside St Mary’s College from New Zealand and two top Japanese sides in Kokugakuin University and Fukuoka Ladies RFC. This was a tremendous experience for our young players, including a number like Anna Birkett, Florence Symonds and Anjalika Ybema who were on their first representative tour. With the other side of the draw including Aranmore Catholic College from Australia as well as our old friends Hartpury College from England, a 7th place finish represented an encouraging performance and a memorable few days for all.

A Week of Touch

With the ANZ International Touch Championship, the “jewel-in-the-crown” of Hong Kong touch, taking place this weekend at King’s Park, there has been a flurry of refereeing and coaching courses all week, taking advantage of the presence of some of the top educators from the Federation of International Touch. Over 100 touchers will have completed qualifications by the time the tournament starts on Saturday, and it promises to be a thrilling day and a half of action with sides from China, Chinese Taipei, Japan, UAE and the Philippines joining the best of our local talent. There’s also a Test Match on Saturday at 1.40pm between Hong Kong v Japan (mixed), so come along and…get in touch!

And finally…the Standard Chartered Tertiary XVs league kicks-off this Saturday and runs through to the Varsity Cup finals day on 11 June, with 15 men’s teams and 11 women’s teams participating this year…may the best team win!

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