Hong Kong's under-18 rugby squad returned from Taiwan last week following a challenging three-match tour.
Hong Kong came away with a draw and two losses during a visit in which they faced the island's top three secondary school sides.
Coached by Simon Leung of the Hong Kong Football Club and Justin Temara of Asahi Valley and managed by Mike Haynes, the locals were eager to face up to the challenge. Haynes picked the final 25-member squad from some 50 hopefuls who had attended training sessions at King's Park for several weeks ahead of the tour.
The squad was led by Scott Keller, with Alex McQueen as vice-captain and David Pricey leading the forward pack. They left for Taiwan on March 25. During their short stay, the players adhered to a strict schedule - they had to wake up at 8am and train twice a day under the watchful eyes of the coaches.
Although rugby was the main focus of the tour, the squad also learned what it is like to be a group of rugby-playing visitors.
It was definitely a lot different from a vacation.
