ASIA RUGBY SEVENS SERIES LEG 1 – HONG KONG CHINA MEN'S 7S WIN, WOMEN'S 7S SECURE RUNNERS UP SPOT

[7 Sep 2024] With some tired bodies, Hong Kong China Men's 7s were dominant in Korea to claim the first-leg title of ARSS 2024 at the Namdong Incheon Asiad Rugby Stadium on Sunday 7 September, while the women's 7s were excellent in finishing runners-up, beating Japan along the way.

The second ARSS 2024 leg takes place in Hangzhou, China from 21-22 September 2024.

ASIA RUGBY SEVENS SERIES LEG 1 - RESULTS

Saturday 7 September (Pools)

Hong Kong China Men 46 – 0 Singapore
Hong Kong China Women 21 - 5 Singapore
Hong Kong China Men 26 - 0 Korea
Hong Kong China Women 17 - 15 Malaysia
Hong Kong China Men 36 - 7 UAE
China Women 14 - 7 Hong Kong China

Sunday 8 September (Finals)

Japan Men 12 - 24 Hong Kong China (Cup Semi Final)
Japan Women 7 - 12 Hong Kong China (Cup Semi Final)
China Men 7 - 40 Hong Kong China (Cup Final)
Hong Kong China Women 0 - 26 China (Cup Final)

DAY 2 REVIEW - SEMI FINALS AND CUP FINALS

Men’s Cup Semi Final: Japan 12 - 24 Hong Kong China

After some ball retention issues at the start of the semi final, the Hong Kong China side turned the ball over well and transitioned from defence to attack with Hugo Stiles finishing off a good team effort to lead 5-0.

Hong Kong China were much improved at the breakdown, and were pinning Japan back. Stiles added a second converted try for a 12-0 lead but Japan struck back on halftime to narrow it down to 12-7.

Max Denmark opened his account early in the second half to relieve some scoreboard pressure taking the score to 17-7.

Hong Kong China defended well and placed huge pressure on the Japanese, forcing errors. A fantastic break by Liam Herbert effectively sealed the game with over a minute to go and a 24-7 lead. Japan scored one late consolation try well after the hooter for a final score of 24-14.

The result means the men moved on to the final to face China, who had beaten Korea in their semi final.

Men’s Cup Final: China 7 - 40 Hong Kong China

Hong Kong China Men won the early exchanges of the final, including the kick-off and restarts which China had been really good at all weekend.

The first scrum saw the ball move into Max Denmark’s hands as he dotted down for the first 5 points converted by Hugo Stiles. Denmark added a converted second shortly thereafter for a 14-0 lead with a Chinese player receiving a yellow card for a failed intercept.

China got one converted score back before the break as they exerted pressure but a cross-field kick and a quick-thinking Harry Sayers scored the team’s third try at halftime leading 21-7.

Callum McCullough, Bryn Phillips and James Christie scored additional tries in the second half for a final score of 40-7 in a dominant display as the squad displayed good skill sets and decision-making in the final, and across the two days, to be crowned champions in Korea.

Reaction: James Christie

Speaking after his side lifted the trophy, Hong Kong China Men's newly appointed captain James Christie reflected on Sunday's play:

"The team today put in some clinical performances against Japan and China. There was a few errors in the semi final that allowed Japan to stay in it but we learnt from these mistakes and put in a ruthless performance in the final against China."

Christie also spoke of the squad's preparations for the second leg of the series, which takes place in just two weeks time:

"It’s a short turnaround for the second leg so recovery will be key for the team. For the rugby side of things I think we looked best when we were patient on the ball and weren’t frantic. In all the games we brought the energy but can we match that up with accuracy in attack and defence."

Finally, Christie also reflected on his first experience captaining the side, adding:

"It was a huge honour to captain the side for the first time. We have a real tight knit and close team and there are many leaders in it so didn’t have to change much as we all stepped up and put in a fantastic performance. I also want to give a special mention to Matteo on a great contribution for his first cap."

Womens Cup Semi Final: Japan 7 - 12 Hong Kong China

In the opening few minutes, Hong Kong China women showed excellent ball retention and possession which led to a great team try which Agnes Tsz Ching Chan scored for a lead of 7-0.

The side continued to control possession and tried to evade the Japanese rush defence and chop tackles but it was a tight half. On defence, the girls were excellent in covering the Japanese breaks. It was probably the best half of rugby Hong Kong China Women played across the weekend, but it was still a tight game and only 7-0 at the halftime break.

The second half didn't start well as a misdirected restart kick saw Japan capitalise and get on the board with a converted try to even it up 7-7.

It was Japan who had most of the ball but the Hong Kong China defence was resolute and eventually forced the mistake. The side was pinned back in their 22m but had a good clearance kick with a nervy last minute to go.

A desperate try-saving tackle kept the girls in the game as the match went into extra time.

Hong Kong China did really well to move the ball around but small mistakes turned over the ball for both sides - as they went at it hammer and tongs in defence. It was an enthralling, exhausting and desperate half of extra time that stayed locked at 7-7.

Ka Yan Chong was eventually the hero to complete an unbelievable few sets from her teammates as she rounded the Japanese to secure the win 12-7 with a try at the start of the second half of golden point extra time. This was undoubtedly the match of the tournament and meant the girls were finals-bound to play China who defeated Thailand in their semi final.

Women’s Cup Final: Hong Kong China 0 - 26 China

Hong Kong China Women had only narrowly lost to China in the final pool match 7-14.

The Chinese scored early in the final utilising the pace they had out wide to lead 7-0 but the half was another tight physical contest with not many clear-cut chances for either side as the teams looked for every ounce of an energy-sapping contest to get an advantage. The score stayed 7-0 at the break.

China extended the lead in the second half followed by a Hong Kong China sin bin as China pressed home the advantage to lead 21-0. Despite some great heart shown, the opposition sealed it with a 4th try late in the half to leave a final score of 26-0.

Reaction: Natasha Olson-Thorne

Speaking after collecting their runners up medals, women's captain Natasha Olson-Thorne looked back on the weekend as a whole, saying:

"I’m super proud of the team. We knew it wasn’t going to be easy, and we had our ups and our downs. But we bounced back and came together as a team and gave it our all, and you can’t ask for more than that."

Having made it through a tense semi final with Japan, and battling hard against a Chinese side that placed 6 at the Paris Olympics, Olson-Thorne added:

"As a team we’ve been working really hard, and you can see that paying off with that grit and determination coming through in our games against China and Japan, especially in that semi final. There is lots to celebrate and also lots to learn from, and now the challenge we have is to keep building from here."

Reaction: Ko Yan Chong

After scoring the decisive try in the semi final victory over Japan, Hong Kong China back Ko Yan Chong said:

"I feel like it was a team try. I trusted my team mates and it was my team mates who set up the try for me. My feeling was relief that the game was finally finished, and that we were able to fight so hard until the very last play."

DAY 1 REVIEW - BOTH 7s SIDES REACH SEMI FINALS

On a beautiful day for rugby, the new season of the Asia Rugby Sevens Series, which introduced a lot of debutante players across the 16 teams in action, delivered some good results for the Hong Kong China Men's and Women's 7s teams as they reached the semi finals at the Namdong Incheon Asiad Rugby Stadium.

Hong Kong China Men Look Strong

Hong Kong China Men’s 7s Head Coach Jevon Groves said after the side secured three wins from three while only conceding one try, “I thought we played well and we showed some consistency with our defence but I am pleased with the three wins but there are some work-ons for us. Overall I am pleased with the day but there are always areas for improvement and if we can fix those, we will be in a good place against Japan tomorrow.”

Hong Hong China Men 46 - 0 Singapore

In the opening match for the men's team, the boys took apart Singapore with some comfort, the only slightest of blemishes being the lack of conversions from the 8 tries the team scored, but really it was a very strong opening-round performance which should have pleased the coaches.

A first-half hat trick from Bryn Philipps with an additional first-half score from Liam Doherty saw the side enter the break in control.

The second half started with new captain James Christie getting his first of the season before Cado Lee, Liam Herbert and Alessandro Nardoni, with the match concluding as Matteo Avitabile (on debut) wrapped things up for a 46-0 win.

Hong Kong China Men 26 - 0 Korea

Korea won their first game 17-12 over UAE and you never know what to expect from the Koreans but they tend to raise their game at home.

Knowing a win would secure a semi final spot on Sunday, Hong Kong China scored early with Christie putting through a grubber which Harry Sayers scored and converted by Hugo Stiles. Bryn Phillips scored the second in the half (his 4th of the opening day) to lead 12-0 until the half.

Stiles claimed the team’s third try in the second half and converted it for a lead of 19-0 before Liam Herbert wrapped things up for a 26-0 win.

This meant good wins for Hong Kong China, with no points conceded.

Hong Kong China Men 36 - 7 UAE

A win would mean playing Japan in Sunday's semi final while a loss could mean facing China.

Max Denmark got his first try of ARSS 2024 with a set play from a scrum for a 5-0 lead but the UAE playmaker caught us on our heels and scored a great solo try to lead 7-5 by the half.

Denmark was put into space to run 65m to retake the lead 12-7 before Liam Herbert and then Denmark sealed his hat trick for a 24-7 lead.

Further scores from Michael Coverdale and Kit Fung Fong saw a final result of 36-7 which means the side take on Japan on Sunday in the second semi final.

Groves said that although the Japanese have had a lot of changes (debuts this weekend), “Japan are still quality and real fast with good steppers and great step-pass accuracy. I think if we just concentrate on ourselves, we can really challenge them.

"I thought players like Matteo on debut, and our captain James Christie who led the team well today were good, so I am pleased with how the boys went.”

Hong Kong China Women Head into Semi Finals

Hong Kong China Women’s 7s Head Coach Andy Vilk said of the opening day, in which the women won two and lost one, “It was a good reaction to close out the game against Malaysia and that gave something to build on for the final game. We showed what we are capable of against China and that is the standard we look to take forward into tomorrow.”

Hong Kong China Women 21 - 5 Singapore

The opposition has an interim Head Coach Rex Wang in charge, and the Singaporeans did well but Hong Kong China Women won the opening encounter of the season well, despite there being room for improvement.

Micayla Baltazar opened the scoring after some great hands and a successful conversion for the side to lead 7-0 before Captain Natasha Olson-Thorne added a second converted score by Stephanie Chan for a 14-0 first-half lead.

The team had to work hard for the lead and players at the end of the half sprawled out on the turf showed it's early in the season.

Singapore opened the scoring in the second half after a well-worked try to the left side to narrow the lead down to 14-5 but tricky-footed speedster Ka Yan Chong extended the lead to 21-5 for Hong Kong China claim the win.

Hong Kong China Women 17 - 15 Malaysia

Tsz Win Ho started the game with a great opening run but was tackled just short of the try line before finally crossing over for a 7-0 lead.

Malaysia came back twice and led 10-7 before more pressure was added when captain Olson-Thorne received a yellow card. The girls initially showed great defence with a player, down before the Malaysians scored a third for a 15-7 lead with 3 minutes to go.

Some tenacious play saw Hong Kong China score twice late in quick succession to steal the win - Sabay Lynam and Olson-Thorne ensuring they were 17-15 victors and into Sunday’s semi final.

China Women 14 - 7 Hong Kong China

With only 2 Olympians in the side this weekend, China still had notched up two good wins and this match was always going to be a challenge. Both sides had already qualified for the semi finals and were playing for seeding places.

Hong Kong China showed good resolute defence to start but the Chinese speedsters out wide caused problems and they opened the scoring twice to lead 14-0 by the halftime break.

The girls had sustained possession to start the half to put China under pressure and scored an excellent team try which Stephanie Chan dotted down and converted to trail 7-14 (the first points China conceded).

Hong Kong China dominated possession for long periods and were hunting for the score well after the hooter but were just denied a great result.

The result means Hong Kong China will take on Japan in the semi final on Sunday.

Vilk added, “Overall there were some ups and downs today, so we are targeting some consistency across our game tomorrow.

"It was very interesting to watch the other groups and some good sevens rugby was played. Japan and Thailand confirmed their quality and tomorrow will be a challenge. Japan look as clinical as ever, even with some new faces, and they always offer a challenge in the breakdown.”

Information and photo source : Hong Kong China Rugby