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HSBC ASIAN FIVE NATIONS Top 5 COMPETITION KICKS OFF
Final stage of IRB Rugby World Cup 2011 begins in Hong Kong & Almaty
[Hong Kong, 23 April 2010]: Asia’s elite rugby competition, the 2010 HSBC Asian 5 Nations (HSBC A5N) Top 5 tournament will kick off tomorrow with matches between Hong Kong and South Korea (GMT +8.00) and Kazakhstan and Arabian Gulf (GMT +6.00). Defending champions Japan are on a bye in week 1.
The excitement is already building in Hong Kong where a pre-match press conference was held today with the coaches and captains of Hong Kong (Dai Rees and Simon Leung respectively) and South Korea (Kim Myoung Joo and flanker Kim Jeong Min respectively) at the Hong Kong Football Club. Mark McCombe, CEO Hong Kong of HSBC and Trevor Gregory, Vice President of the Asian Rugby Football Union were also in attendance.
After 22 Rugby World Cup qualification matches played since 2008, it comes down to the 10 matches of this year’s HSBC A5N Top 5 to determine Asia’s sole direct entry to Rugby World Cup 2011. The Top 5 winner will enter Pool A as Asia 1 alongside New Zealand, France, Tonga and Canada. The runners-up will go through a repêchage process that involves an initial Asia-Americas playoff match against Uruguay in July 2010. This match will be played in either Asia or Uruguay depending on which team has the higher IRB World Ranking at the time of qualification. Japan is the 13th ranked team in world rugby while Uruguay is ranked 21st. Korea, Kazakhstan and Hong Kong are 24th, 26th and 39th respectively.
The winner of the Asia-Americas match will enter a home and away series versus the winners of the Europe-Africa (Tunisia) playoff series. That winner will be the bottom seed in Pool B alongside Argentina, England, Scotland and Europe 2. Asia has been represented at every Rugby World Cup since 1987, with Japan being the only team so far to have qualified for the rugby world’s elite competition. The hunt for these two exclusive spots at rugby’s world championship kicks off tomorrow in Hong Kong.
Hong Kong will take inspiration from last year’s performance against Korea in Seoul. Trailing 31-3 at half-time, Hong Kong looked well beaten but fought back to come within an inch of pulling off a miraculous victory before losing 36-34. Hong Kong coach Dai Rees will use that tremendous feat to motivate his side in a game he has already labelled a “must-win”.
“This will be a massive game for us. We have to target this as a must-win game if we are to have any chances of finishing in the top two and keep alive our World Cup hopes,” Rees said.
“To be realistic, Japan is the outright favourites to win the championship and grab the Asian berth at the World Cup,” added Rees. “Our aim will be to finish second and make it through to the repêchage.”
But first-up will be the tough Koreans, a team which Hong Kong has beaten only twice in the last seven meetings. South Korea will field a mix of old and new players, and will be a formidable threat, especially if they are given a head start as was the case last year when they stormed to a 24-0 lead in the first 17 minutes of play with outstanding No 8 Han Kun-kyu leading the charge with a brace of tries.
Han is back again as is excellent second-row forward You Young-nam, who was named the best player in his position last year in Japan’s professional Top League - but there are many new faces in the 22-man squad.
“We have changed half the squad from last year,” said coach Kim Myoung Joo. “They might be new faces but I believe they have the potential to win any match and we are giving them the opportunity. Our aim is to win this tournament. Japan [Korea’s opponents in Daegu, Korea next weekend] will be difficult opponents but we will do our best.”
Korea will not be looking past Hong Kong after last year’s thriller, nor can they afford to overlook the challenge from Kazakhstan. After a stirring victory in last year’s A5N clash in Almaty where Kazakhstan beat Korea 30-27, the Nomads claimed second spot in Asian rugby for the first time in the 42-year history of the Asian Rugby Football Union.
Kazakhstan will be intent on resuming where they left off and have been spending the long winter nights in Almaty improving their strength and conditioning levels – a fact that will not set their competitor’s minds at ease as the Kazakhs are already one of the most physically impressive teams in Asian rugby. The Nomads return primarily the same side that was so successful in 2009 and are intent on capturing the repêchage spot behind the inspirational leadership of no. 8 Timur Mashurov who is fully fit after being plagued by knee injuries in recent seasons and towering flanker Anton “the horse” Rudoy. Full back Maxim Lifontov returns as well looking to add to his impressive points tally of the past few seasons (Lifontov was the tournament’s top points scorer in 2008).
Kazakhstan opens its account against the Arabian Gulf on their return to the Top 5 as Division I champions in 2009. The Arabian Gulf XV have completed an intensive training period with recent matches against Tunisia and the Kandy Sports Club from Sri Lanka, most of whose players made up the successful Sri Lanka XV that won last week’s Division I in Singapore to become the newest side to experience Top 5 rugby in 2011.
The game plan for the Arabian Gulf will be tested from the outset in Almaty as Kiwi coach Bruce Birtwhistle has targeted his forward pack as one of the strengths of Gulf rugby.
“Primarily our key players will be up front and defence is a key to our campaign. It is important that we meet teams head on in the set pieces and breakdowns to provide sufficient ball for our halfback pairing of Jonny MacDonald (born in the UAE and studying in Cardiff University) and former Wales schoolboy and Gloucester Academy player Duncan Murray.”
With this being the last hurrah for the Arabian Gulf Rugby Football Union before ceding to individual unions in 2011, Coach Birtwhistle is setting the team’s sights high.
“Qualification for the Rugby World Cup is our ultimate aim and all of our preparation is focused on achieving that goal, starting this weekend against Kazakhstan. It is a big ask but with a new squad and the confidence gained from last year’s Division I victory we feel it is a realistic aim.”
With all of the Top 5 teams eyeing Rugby World Cup qualification and the reigning champions Japan waiting in the wings the action over the next five weeks of Asian rugby pitches promises to be the most exciting in the short history of the HSBC A5N.
Commensurate with this excitement is the fact that the tournament is setting new records in its TV package. This year the Tournament will be seen in 90 territories worldwide with veteran rugby broadcasters STAR Sports, Eurosport Asia, J-Sports (Japan) and Sky Networks (New Zealand) all confirmed to take the Top 5 matches and one-hour series highlights in 2010. The HSBC A5N will also be reaching millions of new fans with Zee Sports India, Starhub Singapore and Al Jazeera (pan-Middle East) all live broadcasting Asian XVs rugby for the first time in 2010. The television package in place for the A5N in 2010 would not be possible without the commitment and support of HSBC, the title sponsor of the A5N.
Mark McCombe, CEO Hong Kong, HSBC, said, “HSBC aims to support different cultures and communities through its diverse rugby sponsorships across the world. HSBC Rugby invests in over 30 different countries from the very pinnacle of the elite game through to the development of emerging rugby countries through the A5N. Each of HSBC’s rugby sponsorships share one common aim of uniting people and cultures through the positive values of rugby union.”
As title sponsor of the A5N, HSBC is committed to the development of the game throughout Asia. HSBC is also a long-term sponsor of the Penguins International Rugby Club, which is represented by 30 nations and has provided coaching sessions to local communities in 62 countries. In partnership with Asian Rugby Football Union and the HSBC Penguins Coaching Academy, HSBC supported a series of rugby coaching clinics throughout Hong Kong in the lead up to the A5N tournament. The commitment to grassroots development will continue throughout the duration of the HSBC A5N with Youth Rugby Festivals reaching over thousands of youth in Singapore, Japan, Hong Kong, Korea, Dubai, Bahrain, Indonesia, India, Laos, Cambodia and Nepal in the next few months.
Led by former Scotland head coach Frank Hadden, the clinics will be supported by a team of HSBC Penguins and HSBC A5N coaches as well as team stars from several Asian nations. To date, the youth festivals have been held in Hong Kong, Dubai, Macau, Nepal and Singapore. This weekend, the HSBC A5N Youth Rugby Festival will see Frank Hadden and his coaching team engaging kids from Hong Kong’s Society for the Protection of Children as well as a mini rugby tournament involving six of Hong Kong’s 17 mini rugby clubs at U11 level.
Also today, HSBC held a special drop kick competition for eight student rugby players from the U16 Schools league with the winner winning a trip for the player and a parent enjoying a paid trip to Tokyo to watch the Japan v Hong Kong match on 22 May 2010.
“This will be a massive game for us. We have to target this as a must-win game if we are to have any chances of finishing in the top two and keep alive our World Cup hopes,” Rees said.
“To be realistic, Japan is the outright favourites to win the championship and grab the Asian berth at the World Cup,” added Rees. “Our aim will be to finish second and make it through to the repêchage.”
But first-up will be the tough Koreans, a team which Hong Kong has beaten only twice in the last seven meetings. South Korea will field a mix of old and new players, and will be a formidable threat, especially if they are given a head start as was the case last year when they stormed to a 24-0 lead in the first 17 minutes of play with outstanding No 8 Han Kun-kyu leading the charge with a brace of tries.
Han is back again as is excellent second-row forward You Young-nam, who was named the best player in his position last year in Japan’s professional Top League - but there are many new faces in the 22-man squad.
“We have changed half the squad from last year,” said coach Kim Myoung Joo. “They might be new faces but I believe they have the potential to win any match and we are giving them the opportunity. Our aim is to win this tournament. Japan [Korea’s opponents in Daegu, Korea next weekend] will be difficult opponents but we will do our best.”
Korea will not be looking past Hong Kong after last year’s thriller, nor can they afford to overlook the challenge from Kazakhstan. After a stirring victory in last year’s A5N clash in Almaty where Kazakhstan beat Korea 30-27, the Nomads claimed second spot in Asian rugby for the first time in the 42-year history of the Asian Rugby Football Union.
Kazakhstan will be intent on resuming where they left off and have been spending the long winter nights in Almaty improving their strength and conditioning levels – a fact that will not set their competitor’s minds at ease as the Kazakhs are already one of the most physically impressive teams in Asian rugby. The Nomads return primarily the same side that was so successful in 2009 and are intent on capturing the repêchage spot behind the inspirational leadership of no. 8 Timur Mashurov who is fully fit after being plagued by knee injuries in recent seasons and towering flanker Anton “the horse” Rudoy. Full back Maxim Lifontov returns as well looking to add to his impressive points tally of the past few seasons (Lifontov was the tournament’s top points scorer in 2008).
Kazakhstan opens its account against the Arabian Gulf on their return to the Top 5 as Division I champions in 2009. The Arabian Gulf XV have completed an intensive training period with recent matches against Tunisia and the Kandy Sports Club from Sri Lanka, most of whose players made up the successful Sri Lanka XV that won last week’s Division I in Singapore to become the newest side to experience Top 5 rugby in 2011.
The game plan for the Arabian Gulf will be tested from the outset in Almaty as Kiwi coach Bruce Birtwhistle has targeted his forward pack as one of the strengths of Gulf rugby.
“Primarily our key players will be up front and defence is a key to our campaign. It is important that we meet teams head on in the set pieces and breakdowns to provide sufficient ball for our halfback pairing of Jonny MacDonald (born in the UAE and studying in Cardiff University) and former Wales schoolboy and Gloucester Academy player Duncan Murray.”
With this being the last hurrah for the Arabian Gulf Rugby Football Union before ceding to individual unions in 2011, Coach Birtwhistle is setting the team’s sights high.
“Qualification for the Rugby World Cup is our ultimate aim and all of our preparation is focused on achieving that goal, starting this weekend against Kazakhstan. It is a big ask but with a new squad and the confidence gained from last year’s Division I victory we feel it is a realistic aim.”
With all of the Top 5 teams eyeing Rugby World Cup qualification and the reigning champions Japan waiting in the wings the action over the next five weeks of Asian rugby pitches promises to be the most exciting in the short history of the HSBC A5N.
Commensurate with this excitement is the fact that the tournament is setting new records in its TV package. This year the Tournament will be seen in 90 territories worldwide with veteran rugby broadcasters STAR Sports, Eurosport Asia, J-Sports (Japan) and Sky Networks (New Zealand) all confirmed to take the Top 5 matches and one-hour series highlights in 2010. The HSBC A5N will also be reaching millions of new fans with Zee Sports India, Starhub Singapore and Al Jazeera (pan-Middle East) all live broadcasting Asian XVs rugby for the first time in 2010. The television package in place for the A5N in 2010 would not be possible without the commitment and support of HSBC, the title sponsor of the A5N.
Mark McCombe, CEO Hong Kong, HSBC, said, “HSBC aims to support different cultures and communities through its diverse rugby sponsorships across the world. HSBC Rugby invests in over 30 different countries from the very pinnacle of the elite game through to the development of emerging rugby countries through the A5N. Each of HSBC’s rugby sponsorships share one common aim of uniting people and cultures through the positive values of rugby union.”
As title sponsor of the A5N, HSBC is committed to the development of the game throughout Asia. HSBC is also a long-term sponsor of the Penguins International Rugby Club, which is represented by 30 nations and has provided coaching sessions to local communities in 62 countries. In partnership with Asian Rugby Football Union and the HSBC Penguins Coaching Academy, HSBC supported a series of rugby coaching clinics throughout Hong Kong in the lead up to the A5N tournament. The commitment to grassroots development will continue throughout the duration of the HSBC A5N with Youth Rugby Festivals reaching over thousands of youth in Singapore, Japan, Hong Kong, Korea, Dubai, Bahrain, Indonesia, India, Laos, Cambodia and Nepal in the next few months.
Led by former Scotland head coach Frank Hadden, the clinics will be supported by a team of HSBC Penguins and HSBC A5N coaches as well as team stars from several Asian nations. To date, the youth festivals have been held in Hong Kong, Dubai, Macau, Nepal and Singapore. This weekend, the HSBC A5N Youth Rugby Festival will see Frank Hadden and his coaching team engaging kids from Hong Kong’s Society for the Protection of Children as well as a mini rugby tournament involving six of Hong Kong’s 17 mini rugby clubs at U11 level.
Also today, HSBC held a special drop kick competition for eight student rugby players from the U16 Schools league with the winner winning a trip for the player and a parent enjoying a paid trip to Tokyo to watch the Japan v Hong Kong match on 22 May 2010.
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