World Rugby Sevens Challenger Series: Hong Kong teams make winning start to tournament in Dubai
- Women beat Paraguay 17-0 in opening game before going down 19-0 to Argentina on Friday
- Hong Kong’s men make five changes to squad and get under way with 21-7 victory over Papua New Guinea
Hong Kong began their World Rugby Sevens Challenger Series campaign in Dubai on Friday, and made five changes to the men’s team that just missed out on qualifying for the Paris Olympics.
Jevon Groves side take on Georgia, Papua New Guinea and Uruguay in Pool A at the 12-team tournament, with a top four finish in their sights, but without the likes of Max Woodward, Salom Yiu Kam-shing, Alex McQueen, Mike Coverdale and Alessandro Nardoni.
Instead, Sebastian Brien comes in as captain, and is joined in the squad by other replacements Harry Sayers, Callum McCullough, Pierce Mackinlay-West, and Fong Kit-Fung.
Hong Kong’s men opened their tournament with a 21-7 win over PNG on Friday, and Groves said while a top four finish was the target the reality was his side faced “some really tough teams”.
A high finish in Dubai, and across the series’ other two legs in Montevideo and Munich would give Hong Kong a chance of making the World Series promotion event in May.
“If we put ourselves in the position of getting to the top four consistently over the three legs, then it gives us a chance to get to that final, final leg,” Groves said. “That’s the ultimate target for us, but we know, with the make-up of the tournament groups and how they cross over, it’s going to be very, very tough to get to that top four in this tournament.”
