Hong Kong sevens talent Sabay Lynam relishing ‘once-in-a-lifetime’ South Africa chance
City’s women begin Challenger Series campaign with clashes against the host nation and the Czech Republic on Saturday
Hong Kong women’s rugby sevens talent Sabay Lynam said she would be relishing the “once-in-a-lifetime opportunity” of facing South Africa in Cape Town on Saturday.
The hosts and the Czech Republic are Hong Kong’s pool opponents for this season’s opening Challenger Series leg, featuring 12 teams. Only the four pool winners will advance to Sunday’s semi-finals.
After two months of preparation, culminating in a practice match against Belgium on Wednesday, Lynam said her team were “nervous but ready”.
The leading eight from the 12 teams after next week’s second leg, also in Cape Town, will qualify for April’s closing leg in Krakow, where four places for the play-offs into the World Series are up for grabs.
Lynam said the clash with Belgium released pent-up energy, and provided ideal preparation for a similarly “tall and fast” Czech team that finished eighth, one spot above Hong Kong, in the 2024 Challenger Series.
South Africa, meanwhile, were relegated at the end of last season’s HSBC SVNS Series, having won the previous year’s Challenger Series.
