Howzit-HongKong.com attended the Asian5Nations match between hosts Hong Kong and Asian rugby powerhouse Japan at a packed Hong Kong Football Club (HKFC) today.

We’ve been attending events there for the last 4 years and today’s crowd was probably the best we’re encountered.  While entrance was free, there were plenty of families taking in the atmosphere.  The visitors had strong support from locally-based Japanese but the crowd was firmly behind the home team.

Out on the pitch it was a rusty Japan who eked out a win against a spirited Hong Kong, and the disappointment showed on coach John Kirwan face immediately after the match.

“The only positive out of this game was the win (45 – 22),” said Kirwan (pictured below by Mike Jansen). “But I’d rather this happens now than later on this season. We have plenty of work to do.”

Japan ran in seven tries – five of them in the first half – with winger Alisi Tupuailai grabbing a hat-trick. No.8 Ryukoliniasi Holani, flyhalf Shaun Webb, left winger Hirotoki Onozawa and flanker Michael Leitch also scored one each. Centre Ryan Nicholas collected 10 points from the boot.

No. 14 Alisi Tupuailai almost scored his 4th try but fumbled the pass with a few minutes left on the clock and time running out for HK (Pic: Mike Jansen)

But the glut turned into a drought as Hong Kong bravely fought back and took their chances superbly to leave Japan in disarray by the end of the game.

“It was a poor performance from our team,” Kirwan said. “We didn’t protect the ball and we lost our composure. I thought we were rusty at halftime, but we got rustier as the game wore on.”

Despite pre-game worries by Kirwan of a slow start, the players who are all in the preliminary World Cup squad came out firing on all cylinders, dominating both set pieces as well as in the loose to look threatening. But the spark died down after the break as a gutsy Hong Kong didn’t let up.

Gutsy Hong Kong fight-back

“We got in their faces and put them under pressure,” said Hong Kong national coach Dai Rees. “This is the best performance in recent years against Japan and the guys can be very proud of themselves.”

Hong Kong’s second-half resurgence began with a lovely break from fullback Ross Armour, who made up for his first-half sin-binning, by slicing through the midfield and sending an inside pass to replacement winger Alex McQueen who scored under the posts.

Hong Kong then capitalised on Japanese errors to run in two more tries. The first came from openside flanker Mark Goosen, who picked up from a breakdown and took the direct route to the tryline catching the defence flatfooted. Then winger Rowan Varty turned on the speed when he picked up a dropped pass metres from his own line to run the length of the pitch and score.

A slip of the finger made this a black&white, but when you have to snap Rowan Varty gunning for the line, there are no second chances and you have to be ready! Thankfully I got the shot. (Pic: Mike Jansen)

“We took our chances. We had two 50-50 chances to score tries and we took them,” Rees said. “We had an unfortunate first half and were hard done by in contact areas, but all credit to the guys for coming back strongly.”

Hong Kong captain Tom McColl praised his side for the resilience showed against Japan who has dominated the tournament since it began in 2008.

“I’m really happy that we didn’t give up. The disappointing thing is that we couldn’t quite get the bonus point for scoring four tries. This was our goal before the game, to be in contention for a win at the end or to try and score four tries,” McColl said.

“We gave away a few early soft tries but then our defence picked up. What we proved today is that we can compete with Japan and this is a huge morale boost for the team,” McColl added.

Asian5Nations Standings

The United Arab Emirates 24-10 victory over Kazakhstan leaves them at the top of the standings with eight points after round two. Japan is in second place with six points but with a game in hand on the rest of the pack. Hong Kong lie third (five points) followed by Sri Lanka (three) and Kazakhstan (0).

Howzit-HongKong attended the local-leg of the HSBC HSBC ARFU Rugby Coaching Tour at the Hong Kong Football Club earlier today.

Japan coach John Kirwan showed his passion for the development of rugby in Asia as he taught aspiring local youngsters the finer points of the game.  JK, as Kirwan is affectionately known, was ably assisted by former Scotland coach Frank Hadden and Malaysia coach Dean Herewini, representing the HSBC Penguin International Coaching Academy.

“I believe that there is huge potential for rugby in Asia so it’s great for me to work with local kids and get them enthused about the game. It’s really good for me to give back to the game as well, as I have got a lot out of it,” said Kirwan, who is contributing to the HSBC ARFU Rugby Coaching Tour while leading Japan around the continent as they bid for a fourth straight HSBC Asian 5 Nations title.

The former New Zealand winger, who has been in Hong Kong for over a week, launched this year’s HSBC ARFU Rugby Coaching Tour in Hong Kong in March along with fellow All Blacks legend Jonah Lomu.

Sharing the knowledge: The Penguins’ Dean Herewini exchanges ideas with a local coach (Pic: Mike Jansen)

Jonny Hamp, Head of Rugby Sponsorship – Asia, said: “HSBC is teaming up with ARFU to encourage more youngsters to take up the game of rugby through the HSBC ARFU Rugby Coaching Tour and it’s rewarding to see how this is already achieving its goals.

“HSBC sponsors every level of rugby from grassroots coaching to world-class competitions and teams, so it’s important to us that the coaching clinics we’ve had today continue around Asia as we look to grow the popularity of this great sport around the region.”

HSBC ARFU Coaching Tour 2011

March 23 Hong Kong

April 20-23 Colombo, Sri Lanka

April 28-30 Hong Kong

May 5-7 Bangkok, Thailand

May 11-13 Dubai, UAE

May 19-21 Hong Kong

May 19-21 Colombo, Sri Lanka

June 2-4 Incheon/Seoul, Korea

(Further dates may be added and will be confirmed in due course)

We pulled Kirwan away from his busy task and asked him a few questions:

(Video formatted for iPhone. More images on our Flickr page)

Week 2 of the 2011 Asian 5 Nations Rugby Tournament comes to Hong Kong this weekend.

Hong Kong host defending champions Japan this Saturday in the HSBC Asian 5 Nations, the continent’s premier 15-a-side national team rugby competition.

The match kicks off at Hong Kong Football Club at 4.00pm and entry is free.

Elsewhere, the UAE host Kazakhstan in Abu Dhabi on Friday in this week’s other fixture, while Top Five first-timers Sri Lanka have a bye.

Hong Kong have the toughest task as they face Japan, who last week had a bye and instead travelled to the SAR early as they begin their quest for a fourth successive HSBC Asian 5 Nations, while also preparing for this year’s Rugby World Cup.

Hong Kong began their campaign last week with a trip to Almaty, where they won 23-10 against Kazakhstan, runners-up to Japan in last year’s HSBC Asian 5 Nations.

Coach of Japan John Kirwan has stated that his Japan side will be fully motivated as they seek to continue their 100 per cent record in the competition since it began in 2008.

Kirwan, a star for New Zealand as they won the World Cup in 1987, will also be active this Thursday with the HSBC ARFU Rugby Coaching Tour, which will stage clinics for youngsters from local schools and mini rugby clubs during the week and the Hong Kong Society for the Protection of Children on match day.

Former Scotland coach Frank Hadden, the HSBC Penguin International Coaching Academy and players from Hong Kong and Japan will all be involved in the sessions.

Mark McCombe, CEO of HSBC Hong Kong, said: “HSBC is looking forward to Hong Kong’s first home match in the 2011 HSBC Asian 5 Nations and we know there will be a big, enthusiastic crowd cheering them on.

“It’s part of our investment in the game as we seek to introduce more and more people in the SAR to the game of rugby.

“As such, we’re excited about the ongoing grassroots work being done by the HSBC ARFU Rugby Coaching Tour including the ongoing relationship with the Hong Kong Society for the Protection of Children. We’re also delighted that Japan coach John Kirwan, who’s also an HSBC rugby ambassador, is so actively involved in the programme,” McCombe added.

The HSBC Asian 5 Nations comprises the Top Five and a further five four-team divisions, with promotion and relegation for the top and bottom sides in each.

Hong Kong received an extra boost following their Asian 5 Nations victory over Kazakhstan as they moved up five spots in the IRB World Rankings.

First half tries by Tom McColl and Peter McKee gave Hong Kong a comfortable 20-3 half-time lead in Almaty and there was no way back for their hosts, who were reduced to 13 players after the break with two sent-off. The game ended 23-10.

Hong Kong’s win over the 2010 runners-up lifts them above Germany, Tunisia, Kenya, Poland and Korea to 32nd and their highest ranking for two years. Defeat means Kazakhstan fall to 30th.

Hong Kong now return home to face defending champions Japan on Saturday, a side who overwhelmed them 94-5 last year en route to claiming Asia’s place at World Cup 2011.

(Source: IRB)

Officials at the launch of the Asian 5 Nations Tournament in 2010

A talented young sportswoman led out the Sri Lanka national rugby team as the ‘Elephants’ made their debut in the Top Five of the HSBC Asian 5 Nations against the UAE in Colombo on Saturday.

Shalanika, a gifted footballer, lives at the SOS Children’s Village in Piliyandala, outside Colombo.

The 16-year-old was introduced to rugby for the first time on Thursday when former Scotland coach Frank Hadden led a clinic at the community for orphans as part of the HSBC ARFU Rugby Coaching Tour’s activities in Sri Lanka this week.

“I’ve been at the SOS Children’s Village since I was very young and Thursday was the first time I’ve ever played rugby. I used to play for the national U-13 football team but now I’m focused on my exams, so I don’t play as much,” said Shalanika as she braved the heavy rain that affected the match.

“Everyone really enjoyed learning rugby, although it was new for most of us. I like passing the ball. It was a lot of fun and I want to play it more in the future, although right now I’m a better footballer.”

Youngsters from Sri Lanka’s SOS Children’s Villages watch the match between Sri Lanka and UAE

After leading the Sri Lanka team on to the pitch at the historic Ceylonese Rugby and Football Club, Shalanika was among almost 100 kids in the crowd who had participated in this week’s HSBC ARFU Rugby Coaching Tour.

The children were from Thursday’s clinic for youngsters from the country’s five SOS Children’s Villages – also coming from Nuwara Eliya, Galle, Anuradhapura and Monaragala – and Friday’s clinic for local schools.

The invited schools were Lumbini Vidyalaya, C.W.W. Kannangara Vidyalaya, Science College, Royal College Panadura, Hindu College, S.D.S. Jayasinghe Vidyalaya and St John’s College.

A number of the children were active at the match as ball pickers and flag bearers, while Shalanika was among two youngsters from the SOS Children’s Villages who acted as mascots, leading each of the teams onto the pitch before the game which was televised live across Asia on STAR Sports.

Despite the wet conditions, a large, passionate crowd turned out as the rugby-mad country embraced its debut in the Top Five of the continent’s premier 15-a-side national team competition, having won Division I in Singapore last year.

HSBC provided rugby kit and equipment to the children at the coaching clinics and will do so at every stop on the HSBC ARFU Rugby Coaching Tour to ensure a sustainable legacy in each community.

HSBC has a long-standing relationship with the SOS Children’s Villages globally and this year’s Coaching Tour will also visit similar communities in Kazakhstan – one of Sri Lanka’s Top Five competitors – along with Korea and Thailand, which will host Divisions I and II respectively.

The Coaching Tour’s activities in the capital began on Wednesday, when Hadden helped train local HSBC staff volunteers – including several from the bank’s rugby team – as rugby coaches.

The HSBC ARFU Rugby Coaching Tour launched in March in Hong Kong, where Japan coach John Kirwan and fellow New Zealand legend Jonah Lomu led coaching clinics for youngsters from the Hong Kong Society for the Protection of Children (HKSPC) and the Qingdao Sharks Rugby Football Club from China.

Shalanika (right) & Asanka (SOS Children’s Village) in Sri Lanka, watch the match between Sri Lanka and UAE .

Newly-promoted Sri Lanka was left ruing a disallowed try as they fought to a pulsating 13-13 draw against the United Arab Emirates (UAE) on their debut in the HSBC Asian Five Nations Top Five competition.

A 4,000-strong partisan crowd at a waterlogged Ceylonese Rugby Football Club in Colombo groaned in disbelief after the local touch judge ruled that substitute winger Lasitha Costa hadn’t legitimately grounded the ball minutes before full-time.

Important win for Hong Kong

In Almaty, Hong Kong came away with a superb 23-10 victory over Kazakhstan who was reduced to 13 men midway through the second half after red cards were handed to two forwards for foul play.

First-half tries to skipper Tom McColl and scrumhalf Peter McKee allowed Hong Kong to ease to a 20-3 lead at halftime. Fly-half Keith Robertson added 13 points with the boot.

Waterlogged Colombo

The stakes were high in Colombo with both the UAE and Sri Lanka targeting a win to ensure they stayed in the Top Five next year. It ended in a stalemate, but not before the televised game had seen plenty of drama.

A scoreless first half was a prelude to all-out action in the next 40 minutes as the lead swung hands. Sri Lanka took an 8-0 lead with winger Nuwan Hettiarachchi knocking over a penalty and a try from tighthead prop Eranda Swarnatillaka.

It started with a lovely break by scrumhalf Roshan Weeraratne, when from a lineout deep inside his own 22, he caught the entire UAE defence napping when he took the direct route, through the pack, and made 50 metres before passing to Swarnatillaka to score.

UAE came back strongly with tries from tighthead prop Dan Boatwright and left winger Steve Smith and a Jonathon Grady penalty gave them a 13-8 lead. But the home team hit back through Hettiarachchi who covered 50 metres to complete a rare backline move.

The touchline conversion was missed by fullback Saliya Kumara, resulting in the scores being level at 13-all and the tension mounting. Nerves cost Sri Lanka as both Hettiarachchi and Kumara missed easy penalties late in the match that would have sealed the win.

But the home side seemed to have won the game when Costa slid over for what he thought was a match-winning try, only for it to be disallowed by referee Tobi Lothian after consulting with the touch judge who said he had knocked on.

Nuwan Hettarachchi makes a splash for Sri Lanka with the first try of the match vs. UAE (Pic: Elite Step Asia)

“The result was very disappointing. We created enough opportunities to win and it should have really come down to goal kicking,” said Sri Lanka coach Ellis Meachen, who coached Tonga at the last Rugby World Cup.

“All in all we played enough good rugby to win the game. UAE played well in close quarters but didn’t offer anything in the backs. I have been here for four months but this is the first time I woke up and it has rained. We haven’t trained in the rain and the boys did very well in alien conditions. Sri Lanka should be proud of them,” Meachen said.

Week 1: Hong Kong tops the Log

Today’s results leave Hong Kong on top of the HSBC A5N table on five points, while Sri Lanka and UAE are level on three points.

Hong Kong will take on Japan next Saturday (April 30) at Hong Kong Football Club while Kazakhstan travel to Abu Dhabi to face the UAE on Friday evening (April 29 at Zayed Sports City) in what will be a crucial opportunity for last year’s HSBC Asian 5 Nations runners-up to get points on the series board.

UAE on the charge against Sri Lanka (Pic: Elite Step Asia)

I know of many people on this side of the noodle-curtain who were terribly disappointed (this writer included) when RugbyZone closed down at the end of last year.

Our disappointment was exacerbated with the news that KuduClub will be following suit soon.

Gone is our online access to Boots & All (SuperSport) and SuperRugby (KykNet) that we used to be privvy to on KuduClub.

Always on the lookout for new rugby websites to fill this void, I recently came across one of the most-exciting (nay, trend-setting) Rugby e-magazines around these days.

Union Sports Mag is one of those nifty interactive sites where you digitally turn the page by pulling your mouse across the screen or (in my case) sliding my index-finger down the top of my iMac’s magic mouse.

One of the cool features that I really appreciate is being able to watch a video interview ON the page without having to visit another page or site; and the latest issue of Union Sports Mag has many videos. My personal favorite being the looong interview with the former-BlitzBok Gio “Appels” Aplon. The dimunitive full-back is not only a solid last-defense for the Stormers and Springboks, he’s also quite comfortable in front of the camera. (other than canvassing for free bricks!)

I don’t want to give too much away but, if you were at our Hong Kong Sevens Dinner at the Hong Kong Football Club or in the HK Stadium’s Boerewors Bend last year, you’ll be happy to see Blades again in the video interview on page 17.

I’m not even going to mention the ‘Hottie of the Month” feature.

Lastly, the Union Sports Mag would be a like a flat Carlsberg at the Hong Kong Stadium last weekend if it wasn’t fully integrated with your favorite social media platforms. Interact with the publishers via FaceBook, Twitter, StumbleUpon, and many more.

Click here to have a look.

Did I mention that Union Sports Mag is FREE?

(Screenshot of the Union Sports Mag copyright: UnionSports 2011 All Rights Reserved)

New Zealand rugby legends Jonah Lomu and John Kirwan were the star attractions as this year’s HSBC ARFU (Asian Rugby Football Union) Rugby Coaching Tour kicked off in Happy Valley on Wednesday, 23 March 2011, with a coaching clinic for youngsters from the Hong Kong Society for the Protection of Children (HKSPC) and the Qingdao Sharks Rugby Football Club from China.

The 15-stop Coaching Tour will engage thousands of children in Asia and introduce them to rugby, while HSBC will provide coach education, kit and equipment to ensure a sustainable legacy is left within each community.

Lomu was a popular figure upon his return to the SAR, where the giant winger burst onto the international stage in the 1994 Hong Kong Sevens before establishing himself as rugby’s biggest superstar with 37 tries in 63 tests, including 15 in two Rugby World Cups, a record that still stands today.

“It has been an amazing day and very rewarding. The HSBC ARFU Rugby Coaching Tour is a great initiative and I’m honoured to be part of this year’s launch,” said 35-year-old Lomu, HSBC’s special guest for the day.

“The kids seemed to really enjoy themselves and the bank clearly does great work. Rugby is a fantastic way of introducing many important values and life skills such as team work, healthy living and communication, so it is a really positive thing that they have embraced rugby so quickly.”

Kirwan, an HSBC Rugby Ambassador, will take an active role in this year’s HSBC ARFU Rugby Coaching Tour alongside former Scotland coach Frank Hadden. Kirwan will also be bidding to lead Japan to a fourth successive HSBC Asian 5 Nations title, a campaign that starts with an away match against Hong Kong next month.

“In initiating this year’s Coaching Tour, HSBC and ARFU are taking another important stride in growing the game throughout the region. As a coach and as an ambassador for HSBC and for the game, I am passionate about the development of rugby at all levels. This Coaching Tour, which starts at the grassroots of the game and will also involve working with some of the divisional Asian 5 Nations teams as we move throughout the region, is a fantastic example of this in action and I’m delighted to be involved,” Kirwan said.

“As well as developing existing young rugby players across the continent, the tour will focus on introducing rugby to children who may otherwise not have seen or played the game. Taking the sport to brand-new audiences and enabling and inspiring more children to play the game will be a huge marker of success for me,” added the former winger, who scored 35 tries in 63 tests for New Zealand.

HSBC ARFU Coaching Tour 2011

March 23 Hong Kong

April 21 & 23 Colombo, Sri Lanka

April 21 Almaty, Kazakhstan

April 28 Hong Kong

May 5 Bangkok, Thailand

May 12 & 13 Dubai, UAE

May 19 Hong Kong

May 19 & 21 Tokyo, Japan

May 30 Incheon/Seoul, Korea

Exact dates to be confirmed:

June Macau

July Hong Kong

September Shanghai, China

September Kota Kinabalu, Malaysia

October Pattaya, Thailand

November Goa, India

The 2011 GFI HKFC Tens kicks off at the Hong Kong Football Club in Happy Valley tomorrow and runs until Thursday.

Former player and veteran Tournament Director Graig Wootten gives us his teams-to-watch list.

“There are no easy games anymore” is the warning from Wootten to any team expecting an easy ride through this year’s 24-team field.

Top seeds and last year’s beaten Cup finalists Samurai, the David Campese-led BGC Asia Pacific Barbarians, Frank Hadden’s HSBC Penguins and the always dangerous New Zealand Legends are all out to justify their seedings, but first must make sure they avoid early slip ups with dark horses dotted throughout the field.

Wootten, who played in the GFI HKFC Tens before moving behind the scenes over 15 years ago, has singled out Pool G opponents KIR Club Pyrenees and Wild Titans as potential banana skins. He also warned against underestimating tournament newcomers Niue Wanderers and the Lloyd McDermott Foundation.

“You haven’t got the named Test players coming like Jeremy Guscott because of professionalism, but certainly you have got that next tier down of a large New Zealand and Pacific Island content who are every bit as good as them,” said former centre Wootten. 

Another side singled out by Wootten is the Irish Vikings, who this year boast former England Sevens and 15s international Henry Paul and ex-Gloucester star James Forrester along with a coterie of current and former Singapore internationals.

“Every year it amazes me how competitive even the lowest ranked sides are. Gone are the days of taking it easy, the teams have full training schedules and are so competitive against even the big names. There are no easy games anymore. It gets harder every year.”

The Philippe Carbonneau-led French raiders KIR Club Pyrenees have several recently retired professionals in their ranks and could provide a tricky quarter-final opponent for the second seeded HSBC Penguins on day two, although they must first deal with the Wild Titans, who have bolstered their squad which already contains a handful of German national team players with some South Pacific flair.

“The dark horses for me are the Pyrenees boys, a few years ago they knocked off the Aliens in the pool games,” added Wootten.

“They are playing with the Wild Titans which is the German rugby academy, who are on their third visit. Last year defensively they were superb and lost in the Cup semis to the Penguins by just three points, while this year they have been bolstered by a few Kiwis who should give them the attacking flair that you need in Tens.”

Niue Wanderers have been handed the fifth seed with Wootten expecting a strong mix of strength and pace from the Pacific Islanders. Former Wallabies the Ella brothers, Mark, Gary and Glen, lead the Lloyd McDermott Foundation – a team established to support the development of indigenous youth using sport.

The Lloyd McDermott Foundation are joined in Pool F by the BGC Asia Pacific Barbarians, who are coached by Australia legend Campese, and along with fellow Wallaby great Gregan, boast an all-star line-of current and past international captains and World Cup winners. Their sixth seeding has raised some eyebrows, but their cosmopolitan mix drawn from across the Asia Pacific region must prove they can all work in harmony on their inaugural outing.

Campo returns to Hong Kong with the BGC Asia Pacific Barbarians (Pic: Daily Telegraph)

“On day one the big match up for people to see after they finish work is the David Campese Asia Pacific Baa Baas team against the Ella brothers, who will be coaching the Lloyd McDermott Foundation who will be very handy. Campo versus the Ellas is not a bad match up on day one,” said Wootten.

“The Penguins again look like a strong South Pacific side and their game against the HKRFU Chairman’s X, which is the best of the rest of the guys who don’t make the Hong Kong Sevens team but who want to keep their HSBC Asian 5 Nations hopes alive, should also be good. That’s the last game of the first day.

“Scatterlings coached by Bobby Skinstad could be an unknown quantity, while the Irish Vikings with Henry Paul are a very strong experienced side and the Borneo Eagles won the Darwin Sevens, which is an impressive achievement given the quality of the Kiwi and Fijian sides which play there.”

If the seedings work out, last year’s beaten Cup finalists Samurai will finally get their hands on the trophy which has so far eluded the globe-trotting invitational side, but there is a lot of rugby to be played over a highly anticipated two days at Hong Kong Football Club with no guarantees everything will go to plan.

On Day 1, games start at 11am and continues until 8:35pm

Day 2 sees the action return from 10am until 9pm.

Former England international Lawrence Dallaglio is the official Ambassador of the 2011 HK Tens

Add us on Twitter @BlitzBokke for all the latest from the GFI HKFC Tens

Welshman Dai Rees has been the Hong Kong Sevens coach since 2008.

The Asia Wall Street Journal ‘s Marissa Wong has written a fine story about Sevens Rugby’s “late starter.”

My favourite:

When I was playing, I always made sure to polish my boots with newspaper every Saturday morning before a game. I’d do that and eat poached eggs on toast. I only had one pair of boots and was brought up to take care of them every week. You couldn’t play a game in dirty boots.

Read Marissa Wong’s story here

 Hong Kong 7s coach Dai Rees (Pic: Mike Jansen)

(Source and addition picture: Asia Wall Street Journal)

For more news on the Hong Kong Sevens, hook us up on Twitter @BlitzBokke