The Hong Kong rugby community was out in full force
over the festive period, welcoming the new year and cheering on the future of
Team Hong Kong in
the 2023 New Year’s Day Youth Rugby Tournament.
Sponsored by Hysan
Development and First Point USA, the event at Hong Kong Football
Club attracted over 1,500 players, officials, friends, family
and rugby fans.
The U16 girls started the showpiece strongly in
the Naylor Cup match with Hong Kong Lions edging the Dragons
24-10, with prop Zanzi Falahati of HKU Sandy Bay RFC
named Best & Fairest.
Their age grade counterparts also entertained in
the George White Trophy match for Boys U16. Dragons pulled away
with two late tries to widen a 10-7 tussle into a final 24-7
victory with Oliver Sinclair of Valley Fort RFC winning the
coveted Larry Abel Trophy for Best & Fairest player.
Hong Kong’s elite junior talent was on full
display in the U19 Lassies Quaich match with a greater
representation of overseas-based schools players taking part in
2023.
The two teams battled to a 10-all draw at the end
of regulation time, but Dragons scored at the outset of the golden
point extra time to run out 17-10 winners. Flying Kukris prop Jade Scrouther was named Best & Fairest.
After a hiatus due to overseas travel
complications, the New Year’s Day Youth Tournament marked the
return of a full overseas-based students team in the match that
started it all, the Middlesex Cup for Boys U19, first played in
1967.
With a full overseas-based U19 schoolboys
appearing for the first time in years – facing off against a local
outfit of age grade counterparts on a high after providing a
majority of the players in the Hong Kong U19s team that won the
Asia Rugby junior championship in December – the action was
expected to be close. And it was for the opening three-quarters of the
game.
The Overseas Lions led 7-0 after an opening
half of end to end action with both sides enjoying numerous
scoring chances and exhibiting some steady defence to keep matters
on a razor’s edge.
Down the stretch, the size and weight advantage of
the overseas forwards came to the fore as the Lions pushed their
lead to 12-0 inside the final 10 minutes of the game after a long
developing try that started in their own half found the gaps in a
tiring Dragons defence.
The Lions widened the gap six minutes later with
their third try coming off set piece play from inside the Dragons
22-metres. The Dragons replied well to bring the play back
into the Lions’ den at the end of the game, but the final passes
failed to go to hand and they were unable to put any points on the
board against their overseas compatriots in an eventual 19-0
defeat. Centre Trent Roussow was named Best & Fairest in
the match.
The vibrant city, a leading promoter of the
development of rugby in the region, will host the world-famous
Cathay Pacific / HSBC Hong Kong Sevens from 31 March to 2 April
2023. It’s where the world goes to play!
