HSBC SVNS Series: Hong Kong men have ‘much more to show’ in critical Cape Town qualifiers
City team must win pool also featuring Japan and opening-leg champions Chile to reach Saturday’s Challenger Series semi-finals
Hong Kong rugby sevens player Jack Combes said the city team had drawn a line under last week’s Challenger Series disappointment, and they have “so much more to show” when their make-or-break second leg begins in Cape Town on Friday.
A shock loss to Madagascar, coupled with defeat by eventual finalists Canada, left shell-shocked Hong Kong bottom of their opening-leg pool. They ultimately finished ninth – and 10 points adrift of the top-four spot they need to reach May’s promotion playoffs in Los Angeles.
Before they can think about qualifying for the HSBC SVNS Series, however, Hong Kong must improve on their lowly position over the next two days, as only the top eight from the 12 teams go on to the third and final Challenger Series leg in April.
Hong Kong have been drawn in a pool with familiar foes Japan and first-leg champions Chile. Only the winners will progress to Saturday’s semi-finals.
“Some things didn’t go as we intended in the first leg,” Combes said. “There has been a lot of conversations … we reviewed clips and looked at where we could improve, then drew a line in the sand.
“We can’t change those moments … we’re focusing on what we can control, and we have so much more to show. [The disappointment] has changed to excitement, and we are ready to go again.”