Samoa crush Hong Kong’s Olympic dream at the repêchage quarter-final stage
After winning all three pool games in Monaco, Gareth Baber’s men lose 31-12 to Pacific islanders; Spain later rebound from first-day loss against Hong Kong to beat Samoa and claim last ticket to Rio
Hong Kong got the big-game experience they so desired on day two of the Olympic repêchage sevens tournament in Monaco, but most certainly not the result in a 31-12 loss to Samoa.
It was a disappointing end to what had previously been a positive tournament for Hong Kong, but by no means a surprising outcome against the team who finished ninth in this year’s HSBC World Rugby Sevens Series and won the overall title in 2010.
Later in Monaco, Spain stunned Samoa with a last-gasp try in the final to win 22-19 and earn the sole place up for grabs to make the Rio Games.
WATCH: Day two highlights from the men’s Olympic repêchage in Monaco:
This was the same Spanish team Hong Kong hammered 19-0 in Saturday's final pool match.
“For us, it’s really the tackle and the contact area and how quick these teams operate in there, because obviously they are conscious of that when they are playing in the world series,” Baber said.
Baber returns home knowing he will never have the players to meet the physicality of a side like Samoa head-on.
They continually muscled Hong Kong off the ball with their bigger bodies and their combination of strength and athleticism proved too much.
