[Hong Kong, 11 November 2022]: Hong Kong’s sevens coaches have opted for settled squads for this weekend’s second leg of the Asia Rugby Sevens Series in South Korea. Eight of the Hong Kong team selected for the Cathay Pacific/HSBC Hong Kong Sevens will put their endurance to the test this weekend in Incheon. Captain Max Woodward will be joined by Russ Webb, Seb Brien, Mike Coverdale, Harry Sayers and Liam Doherty. The squad runs the gamut from Hong Kong’s most capped sevens player Salom Yiu Kam-shing to one of its newest with Mak Kwai-chung (two caps) both named in the squad.
Sparkplug scrumhalf James Christie is among five newcomers and will help Mak Kwai-chung backstop for senior player Cado Lee Ka-to who is being rested after picking up a slight injury in the Hong Kong Sevens.
Kane Boucaut and Callum McCullough will provide muscle up front with Pierce Mackinlay-West and Alessandro Nardoni sitting out the South Korean sojourn. Jamie Hood will return for his first sevens tournament since the HSBC World Rugby Sevens Series in Edmonton a year ago, and is joined by another dangerous attacker in Liam Herbert in the backs, who comes in with Max Denmark earning a well-deserved rest. Men’s coach Jevon Groves again noted that the core of the squad is largely selecting themselves in recent competitions.
“Keeping eight of the boys is a reflection on some very good performances last weekend and the fact that they are all motivated to go again,” said Groves.
“We are able to bring five experienced players into the squad. Jamie, Kane and Callum are all senior players with a lot of experience and James and Liam are exciting. These guys have missed out on the last few tournaments so they are hungry and keen to make their case, and I think they will add some good energy into the squad.
“The challenge for us on a quick turnaround is to integrate everyone and see how quickly we can come together and play as a team. If we focus on the team performance and get that right then the individual performance swill come from there,” Groves added.
Women’s sevens coach Iain Monaghan has selected a similarly settled squad with only two changes for Korea from the opener. Mel Li and Natasha Olson-Thorne return as co-captains. All three debutants from Thailand: Georgia Rivers, Julia Oyana and Cherly So Yee-kei, have also retained their spots after playing significant minutes in their first senior tournaments. Jessica Ho Wai-on returns to the group adding experience in the backs (with Chong Ka-yan being rested), along with hard-working forward Au Yeung Sin-yi who will add strength up front.
Hong Kong’s men’s seven opened their Asian title defence in style, beating South Korea and Japan on day two to claim the cup in the opening leg in Thailand. In Korea, the men are top seeds in Pool A alongside dark horses UAE, China and Sri Lanka. Japan, South Korea, the Philippines and Malaysia will battle it out in a challenging Pool B.
“Our focus is on that first game against Sri Lanka. They are a bit of an unknown as we haven’t seen them yet on the series and they might not have played since the Commonwealth Games. They are dangerous in open space. Both China and UAE are going to be better for having an opening tournament behind them as well, but our focus is on ourselves and implementing our game plan this weekend,” Groves added.
The women, who finished just off the podium in the opener, will face opening leg winners China, Kazakhstan and Sri Lanka in a grueling group (Pool A) with Japan, Thailand, Philippines and Malaysia in the other bracket.
Hong Kong Men’s Sevens squad: Max WOODWARD (Capt.), Seb BRIEN; James CHRISTIE; Kane BOUCAUT; Mike COVERDALE; Liam DOHERTY; Liam HERBERT; Jamie HOOD; Callum MCCULLOUGH; MAK Kwai-chung; Harry SAYERS; Russ WEBB; Salom YIU Kam-shing
Hong Kong Women’s Sevens Squad: Melody LI Nim-yan (Capt); Natasha OLSON-THORNE (Capt); AU YEUNG Sin-yi; NAM Ka-man; Stephanie CHAN Chor-ki; Chloe CHAN; CHAN Tsz-ching; Jessica EDEN; Jessica HO Wai-on; POON Hoi-yan; Julia MBA OYANA; Georgia RIVERS; Cherly SO Yee-kei.
