IOC President presents the bronze medal to Korea

Japan win Men’s Gold in thrilling East Asian Games Rugby Sevens Final; China’s dominance continues in Women’s Sevens

Heartbreak for Hong Kong as Gold medal slips away with seconds on clock

[Hong Kong, 6 December 2009]: Japan edged Hong Kong 26-24 in a thrilling Men’s Gold medal match at the 2009 East Asian Games in Hong Kong this afternoon. In the Women’s competition, China continued its run of impressive results beating Japan 34-12 in the Gold medal match to finish the competition undefeated.

The Japan Men’s Seven reached the Gold medal final despite suffering a surprise 14-12 defeat to China in their penultimate preliminary match this morning. Japan’s undefeated opening day was enough to see them through to the final despite the loss and they were ruthlessly efficient with a 41-7 win over Guam in the final round robin match.

Hong Kong reached the final the hard way, beating both Korea and China, (ranked 2nd and 5th respectively in Asian Sevens), to get their chance at Gold. Despite jumping out to a 21-0 lead at halftime, Korea nearly spoiled Hong Kong’s party as they fought all the way back to 21-19 before the clock ran down on their comeback effort. The loss left Hong Kong with one last hurdle, China, on their hunt for gold. Again, Hong Kong jumped out to a wide lead at halftime but this time they were more clinical in the second half, winning 21-7 to send China to the Bronze Medal match alongside Korea.

In the Gold Medal match, Japan jumped out to an early lead through a nice individual effort from Yusaku Kuwazuru in the corner to edge the visitors to a 5-nil lead. Hong Kong centre Rowan Varty replied minutes later with his own corner try. Both conversions were missed to bring the score to 5-all. The early interchange set the tone for the match, which saw the scores seesaw back and forth until literally the last second of the game.

Japan’s Masahiro Tsuiki was the next to break the deadlock with a try beneath the sticks to bring Japan ahead 12-5. The lead was again short-lived as Rowan Varty crossed for his second try of the first half, this time under the posts, this time for an easy conversion to bring the score to 12-all at the interval. The excitement picked up where the first half left off as the early portion of the final stanza saw both sides test each other’s defence but the lines were holding strong. Eventually, Japanese pivot Manase Folau broke the stalemate, breaking away for a nice try that was converted to put Japan back in the lead, 19-12.

The score remained 19-12 until two minutes left in the final when pacy Hong Kong winger Adam Raby broke free down the sideline to dot down in the corner and bring Hong Kong back within striking distance at 19-17. The conversion attempt was unsuccessful, leaving Hong Kong adrift before Anthony Haynes crashed over the line with less than a minute remaining to bring the score to 24-19 with the conversion. A vocal crowd thought the score would stand but the cool heads and disciplined professionals in the Japan Sevens team never said never and with three seconds left Masahiro Tsuiki broke free of the defence in midfield and crossed over for a hero’s try, leveling the scores at 24-all. The simple conversion in front of the posts by Yamamoto sealed victory 26-24 and brought the Gold medal home to Japan.

Japan coach Wataru Murata said, “My heart was pounding as the game was so tight, but I’m very happy. Hong Kong is the home team and had great crowd support, but our team is very disciplined. We have a lot of Japanese pride and that was the difference in those final five seconds. It is great to have Rugby Sevens as part of the East Asian Games.”

Hong Kong National Coach Dai Rees said: “Credit to the guys, they played exceptionally well. Five of our players were marking their debut playing inside the Hong Kong Stadium and we were leading against a team almost primarily full of professionals. It has been a great experience for the team and we are extremely thankful for the brilliant support we have gotten from the crowd. The reaction really proves that Rugby Sevens is a great competition for multi-sport Games.”

Hong Kong forward Mark Wright was disappointed but took positives from the experience. “We are gutted by the loss of course but the guys played exceptional rugby throughout the tournament, especially in the final. We’re disappointed not to win, but we are very pleased with the Silver. Back at the Asian Games in 2006, we were playing for fifth place and here we are not just playing for Gold but leading with just seconds left. We will take a lot from this.”

In the Bronze medal match, Korea pipped China 14-12 in a game with an equally final minute as tries by both teams were nullified in the last minute of play. The Koreans knocked on what seemed to be the clear game winner in the in-goal area but were awarded a reprieve after charging over from a penalty from the ensuing scrum to take the lead at 14-12. China was equally disappointed by being held up in the Korean in-goal with just seconds remaining in the match, denying them Bronze.

In the Women’s competition, China again showed its international class as the undisputed Asian champion. The China team eased its way through day one of the competition with an undefeated record from three matches and a 114 to nil points for and against record. On Day Two, the competition intensified as China conceded its first points of the weekend to a plucky Hong Kong team in the semi-final which China won 20-5 to advance to the Gold medal match. In the second semi-final, Japan advanced past Guam 19-7. The final was more one-way traffic for the Chinese team although the Japan Women’s Seven put forth a tremendous effort for the game before falling to a 34-12 loss.

International Olympic Committee President Jacques Rogge was on hand to present the gold medal to the winning teams, reinforcing the status or Rugby Sevens as the newest Olympic sport with its inclusion into the 2016 Olympic Summer Games in Brazil.

A strong crowd of nearly 11,000 people attended today’s competition proving the attraction of Rugby Sevens as a competition sport at multi-sport games. The 2009 East Asian Games is the fifth instalment of the East Asian Games and the first to feature Rugby Sevens as a competition sport, which is entirely fitting considering the Games are being hosted in Hong Kong, home of the world famous Hong Kong Sevens.

East Asian Games Rugby Sevens Competition Day One Results

Japan Men and China Women Top Table on Day One of
2009 East Asian Games in Hong Kong

[Hong Kong, December 5 2009]: The parity in Asian men’s sevens was on proud display after day one of the Men’s Rugby Sevens at the 2009 East Asian Games in Hong Kong. The Women’s Rugby Sevens competition meanwhile is proving to be another coming out party for Rugby World Cup Sevens Bowl champions China who were undefeated on Day One, finishing with a points for and against record of 114 – nil.

In the men’s competition, Japan continue to be the in-form team but the Asian Sevens leaders were pushed to the limit in the day’s final match by Korea, Asia’s second best Sevens team, who themselves drew against China in their opening match. Hosts Hong Kong nearly saw their dreams of a gold medal at home derailed by Chinese Taipei, who rebounded from two challenging losses earlier in the day. In all, it was an exciting day of world-class Rugby Sevens action played in front of a strong crowd of 8,500 at the Hong Stadium.

Despite, coming through with three crucial wins from today’s competition, Japan Men’s Sevens coach Wataru Murata was unhappy with his team’s defence after the Brave Blossoms conceded four tries in its three matches.

Japan opened its account with a 19-5 win over Chinese Taipei and kept their foot on the gas with a convincing 17-7 win over Hong Kong, Asia’s third ranked Sevens team. That result set up an enticing final day one match between the Asian one and two, Japan and Korea.

The teams did not disappoint either as Korea jumped out to a 12-0 lead at the half after tries from Kim Jong Su and Kim Won Yong and a conversion from Hong Jun Ki. As they regularly do, Japan maintained its composure in the second half and came back to win after two tries from substitute Shinichi Yokoyama and a third from Masuhiro Tsuiki. Hidefumi Yamamoto’s two conversions put the game out of reach at 19-12 and preserved Japan’s clean sheet for the day.

The loss to Japan may come back to haunt Korea after the preliminary stage as could Korea’s 12-12 draw against China, ranked number four in Asian Sevens in today’s opening match. In its second match of the day, Korea beat Guam 39-5.


The hometown heroes Hong Kong got off to a rollicking start today with a 31-7 win over Guam, punctuated by a hat trick from Rowan Varty. Hong Kong’s high hopes were deflated a bit after its 17-7 loss to Japan left the hosts needing nothing less than perfection for the remainder of the tournament to reach the final.

That level of performance was hard to find in Hong Kong’s last match of the day against Chinese Taipei. In a tense encounter, the lead changed hands several times as the never-say-die Chinese Taipei seven jumped out to an early lead and held it for large parts of the match and deep into the second half. With two losses, enough to derail hopes of a place on the medal rostrum, looming talismanic playmaker Keith Robertson helped keep Hong Kong’s medal chances alive, setting up a late try in the corner from winger Salom Yiu Kam Shing to edge Hong Kong ahead 20-17 with a 1.30 left in the match. Robertson then scored and converted his own try in the last minute to push Hong Kong through at 27-17 and keep their gold medal dream alive.

Hong Kong will now need back-to-back victories over Korea and China tomorrow to reach the gold medal match in the first ever East Asian Games to feature Rugby Sevens, and the first hosted in Hong Kong, one of the spiritual homes of the sevens code.

The men’s competition continues tomorrow with each team having two more preliminary round robin matches before proceeding to the finals starting with the 5th & 6th place playoff, the Bronze Medal match and of course the Gold Medal match which kicks off at 16.45 local time. In the women’s competition, action will begin with Semi-Finals between China and Hong Kong and Japan and Guam at 12.36 and 12.58 respectively.

It all adds up to an exciting finale of the East Asian Games Rugby Sevens competition tomorrow when many luminaries will be in attendance including IOC President Jacques Rogge; Timothy Fok, Vice President of the Olympic Council of Asia and President of the Hong Kong Sports Federation & Olympic Council. Mr. Nobby Mashimo of the Japan Rugby Football Union, the Asian Rugby Football Union’s (ARFU) representative on the IRB Council and Choi Won-Tae (president of ARFU) will also attend along with Brian Stevenson and Trevor Gregory, President and Chairman of the Hong Kong Rugby Football Union respectively.

2009 Hong Kong East Asian Games

2009 Hong Kong East Asian Games Rugby Sevens Competition Set for Kick Off
IOC President Jacques Rogge to present Gold Medal to Champions

[Hong Kong, December 4 2009]: The last top-flight Asian sevens action of the year is set to kick off tomorrow with the Rugby Sevens competition at the East Asian Games 2009 in Hong Kong. It is the first ever multi-sports Games to be held in Hong Kong and fittingly for the home of the legendary Hong Kong Sevens the first East Asian Games to feature Rugby as a competition sport.

The East Asian Games is open to nine countries and territories in the region including hosts Hong Kong, China; China; Chinese Taipei; Guam; Japan; Korea; DPR Korea; Macau, China and Mongolia.

The Rugby Sevens competition promises to be a cracker as the teams participating represent the elite teams in Asian sevens. Five of the six men’s teams hold the top five spots in Asian Sevens while three of the top five women’s sevens teams in Asia are taking part.

With the inception of the Asian Rugby Football Union’s (ARFU) new Asian Rugby Sevens Series in 2009, the men’s teams enter the competition with more match seasoning and more head to head experience than at any time in the 42-year history of ARFU.

Adding to the excitement, the organisers of the East Asian Games have announced that Jacques Rogge, President of the International Olympic Committee, will attend the Rugby Sevens competition and present the Gold medal to the winning men’s team. The presence of Count Rogge is indicative of Rugby Sevens’ status as the world’s newest Olympic Sport with its inclusion into the 2016 Olympic Summer Games in Brazil.

Japan’s men’s team is the heavy gold medal favourite after finishing top of the table on the Asian Rugby Sevens Series. Japan finished with a silver and gold medal from the two ranking events in the series’ first year, (Shanghai and Kota Kinabalu, Malaysia), and also won the Sri Lanka Sevens in November. Their fine performance on the series places them as the current number one in both sevens and fifteens rugby in Asia.

Runners-up on the series Korea won the historic first Asian Rugby Sevens Series tournament in Shanghai, beating Japan in the final. Korea is benefiting from a cohesive squad that features many of its key fifteen aside national team stars like hard-charging No. 8 Han Hun Kyu who promises to be a fan favourite with his impressive pace for a big man and his trademark throwback headgear.

The third place team in the Asian series is the hosts Hong Kong, who finished with a bronze medal in Shanghai and reached the final in Kota Kinabalu before bowing out to Japan. Hong Kong has used the series and their appearance at the World Games and Singapore Cricket Club Sevens to identify some promising young players.

The home side has beaten all of its competitors on the series this year and will be hoping that vociferous support from the over 12,000 strong crowd will propel them to a historic first ever Team Gold medal for the Hong Kong SAR in the East Asian Games.

Captained by Jeff Wong Chun Kiu and lead by former Wales Sevens coach Dai Rees, the local side will be looking to go one better than its silver medal performance in Malaysia this weekend.
National Coach Rees said, “We are entering the competition in better shape than any tournament we have played in this year. There is a real belief we can medal and do something special for Hong Kong by winning a team gold.”

“Our preparation went well,” says captain Wong, Chun Kiu, “The team has been training hard and we are hopeful for a gold. If we manage to play like we train we won’t be far off.”
“Personally, I am deeply honoured to captain the team on this ooccasion,” added Wong, “If we bring gold home, I think rugby will become even more popular in Hong Kong and a lot more young kids and students will take up the sport. I can promise that we will do our very best.”

China and Chinese Taipei are also threats to break through to the medal podium on any given occasion. Both teams enter the competition with veteran sides. China will be lead by the inspirational Zhang Zhiqiang, a local favourite from his many Hong Kong Sevens appearances, while Chinese Taipei will be captained by long-time skipper Wang Kuo Feng.

The East Asian Games represents a unique bookend for Chinese Taipei as they started their sevens campaign back in July with the hosting of the World Games in Kaohsiung where they finished as the best performing Asian team overall.

In both the men’s and women’s competitions, the teams from the island of Guam, known locally as “the Rock”, can be counted on to punch above their weight and competitors will overlook them at their peril.

In the four-team women’s competition, China will run out as the clear favourites after their inspirational Bowl championship at the Rugby World Cup Sevens 2009, a performance which they followed with an undefeated showing at the Asian Women’s Sevens championships in June in Pattaya, Thailand, to rank as the top women’s side in Asia. Japan and Hong Kong will battle for the spot against China in the final. The Rugby Sevens competition at the Hong Kong 2009 East Asian Games will take place on Saturday and Sunday, December 5 and 6, 2009 at the Hong Kong Stadium. Matches are from 10.00 to 16.00 on Saturday and 11.30 to 17.30 on Sunday. For more information including live results please visit: www.2009eastasiangames.hk