「世界七人欖球挑戰者系列賽」烏拉圭站 男子隊保不敗身入四強 女子隊奮戰下躋身名次賽
Hong Kong China sevens teams continue progress in Uruguay
[香港，2024年3月10日] 中國香港男、女子七人欖球隊在烏拉圭舉行的「世界七人欖球挑戰者系列賽」第二站次天比賽繼續保持卓越表現。男子隊連續兩日保持不敗之身躋身準決賽，將力拼上站亞軍肯亞。女子隊在第三場小組賽力拒巴布亞新畿內亞後，在8強跟烏干達激戰17分鐘下，只以些微分數惜敗。男女隊都將在周一凌晨名次賽對肯亞。
中國香港男子隊連日來的表現令人讚歎，周日凌晨的最後一場小組賽對墨西哥再次顯現他們必勝的決心。港隊此場以39:0大勝兼「零封」對手；港隊陣中有六位球員達陣得分，包括連中兩元的薩耶斯，其餘功臣有華將房傑鋒、杜靴迪、史戴爾斯、麥古洛及隊長拜恩。完美以三戰三勝完成小組賽及獲取100净勝分的港隊，順利以B組首名出線8強對東加。
對東加的半準決賽甫開波已感受到那股只許勝不許敗的緊張氣氛，東加球員費法達(Walter Fifita）開局不久就被黃牌警告。港隊憑經驗豐富的華將李卡度趁對方打少一人下試圖先開紀錄，他在開賽6分鐘成功達陣，並為港隊打出信心。丹馬克繼續交出好表現，在8分鐘重要時刻把握達陣機會（這已是丹馬克在今站比賽的第四個達陣），加上史戴爾斯踢入附加罰球，港隊在半場以12:0領先。港隊的領先優勢延續至下半場，李卡度梅開二度，率先得分，隊友靴貝特在12分鐘亦成功達陣，當時比分已拉開至26:0，對方在臨完場前才有達陣進賬，但為時已晚，未能扭轉局勢，港隊以26:7大勝入準決賽。
中國香港男子隊將於周一凌晨3時02分跟肯亞爭入決賽，另一場準決賽是南美洲之爭，由智利對東道主烏拉圭。
中國香港男子隊教練高勳（Jevon Groves）表示：「這兩天的比賽都打得很暢順，我們都感到很開心，我們一班球員都很期待跟肯亞的四強戰。」
「今日的天氣很酷熱，但球員們都應對得很好，他們的專業態度應記一功。對東加一場比賽，我們的重點是削弱他們的體能；球員在跟對手的攻防戰中都表現出色，令我們取得幾次漂亮的得分。」
「肯亞在小組賽中表現有些不穩定，但他們在半準決賽（7:5勝烏干達）表現不錯，他們有很強的速度、節奏及力量.我們必需要將我們的體能發揮到極致，亦要加強我們握球在手的把握力。」
「在這幾場比賽，你們可以看到我善用隊中的12名球員，他們在場上表現都十分出色，亦能在重要時刻發揮作用，為球隊爭取得分。」高勳教練特別提到傳接鋒李卡度、史戴爾斯及大演帽子戲法的丹馬克表現突出，為球隊入球出了不少力。
中國香港女子隊在小組賽成績不俗，先在小組第一場比賽爆冷以12:0擊敗上站亞軍肯亞，雖然第二場小組賽以14:27不敵比利時，但周日凌晨對巴布亞新畿內亞，港隊抵住領先被追和的壓力下，以27:14取勝，只可惜在準決賽跟烏干達激戰17分鐘後戛然而止。
小組最後一場比賽對巴布亞新畿內亞，港隊奧亞娜在開局初段4分鐘内已連續兩次達陣成功，助港隊以12:0領先。但對手很快還以顏色，在完半場前已追至12:12平手。下半場港隊沒亂陣腳，重新控制局面，隊員莊嘉欣、歐陽倩怡及隊長高香慧先後有貢獻達陣，令港隊以17:12取得勝仗。
中國香港女子隊跟烏干達的準決賽是一場勢均力敵的角力，港隊開賽時表現出色，很快入局，憑莊嘉欣在開賽一分鐘後即取得達陣機會，連同成功踢入附加罰球的潘凱恩，港隊領先7:0 ；但對手很快回敬一球，比分拉近至7:5，隊長高香慧很快找到達陣機會，將比分拉開至12:5。
下半場烏干達很快入局，球員蘭馬比露（Lydia Namabiro）連續兩次達陣，令港隊首次落後對手12:17，但杭州亞運功臣之一的莊嘉欣很快找到達陣線路並成功為港隊追至17:17平手。在比賽進行17分鐘時，兩隊球員各被罰一張黃牌，最終港隊以17:22落敗。
中國香港女子隊將於周一凌晨3時37分出戰名次賽，跟肯亞再次碰頭爭取第七名。
「世界七人欖球挑戰者系列賽」（蒙特維多站）：香港男子隊成員名單：
拜恩（隊長）、蔡紀駿、丹馬克、杜靴迪、房傑鋒、靴貝特、李卡度、麥古洛、虎拿當尼、菲立斯、占士梳亞、薩耶斯、史戴爾斯
「世界七人欖球挑戰者系列賽」（蒙特維多站）：香港女子隊成員名單：
高香慧（隊長）、歐陽倩怡、巴達莎皓兒、巴達莎米奇拉，陳芷晴、莊嘉欣、霍山文、馮凱晴、林芷欣、藍嘉敏、奧亞娜、潘凱恩、韋嘉芘拉
資料及相片來源 : Elite Step Asia Limited / Hong Kong China Rugby
[Hong Kong, 10 March 2024]: The Hong Kong China Rugby representative sevens squads continued their strong performances at the HSBC World Rugby Challenger Series tournament in Uruguay. The men are unbeaten after two days, and advanced to the semi finals versus Kenya – runners-up in the opening tournament. The women notched a second pool win over Papua New Guinea before being edged out in the quarterfinals by Uganda in a 17-minute battle. Both sides will play Kenya in their opening matches on day three.
On day two, the men dispatched Mexico in their final pool game, 39-0. Six players scored with Harry Sayers leading the way with a brace. Fong Kit-Fung, Liam Doherty, Hugo Stiles, Callum McCullough and Seb Brien all added scores. Hong Kong finished atop Pool B with a perfect 3-0 record and a +100 points differential, the best in the competition, setting up a quarter final with Tonga.
A tight first half saw the first openings when Tonga’s Walter Fifita was shown a yellow card. Cado Lee pressed home the advantage with his first try in the sixth minute. Max Denmark added a crucial try (his fourth of the tournament) before half-time to push Hong Kong’s lead to 12-0 after Hugo Stiles’ conversions. Lee scored his second of the match shortly after play resumed, followed by Liam Herbert in the 12th minute to push the ticker to 26-0, before a Tongan consolation try brought the final to 26-7.
Hong Kong will now play Kenya in the second semifinal at 0302 Monday morning. The other semifinal is an all South American affair between Chile and Uruguay.
“It has been a pleasing day one and two, and the boys are looking forward to Kenya” said Hong Kong China men’s sevens coach Jevon Groves.
“It was hot today but the boys did very well to deal with the conditions, it is a tribute to their professionalism.
“Against Tonga we were focused on negating their physicality. The boys played very well in the contact area and in our tackle defence, which set up some nice tries for us in transition.
“Kenya were a bit inconsistent in pool play but they had a good win in the quarterfinal. They have a lot of speed, pace and power. We need to match their physicality and impose our ability to move the ball into space where we can.
“We are utilizing the full 12 man squad, and the guys that have been coming on have been finishing strong and have made a big difference in closing out games,” said Groves, who also nodded to the side’s halfbacks, Lee and Stiles, and the team’s top try scorer Denmark for their impact so far.
The Hong Kong, China women’s seven strong run for the Cup came to an end in the quarterfinals stage in a 17-minute battle with Uganda. After starting the weekend with an upset of Kenya, Hong Kong lost to Belgium but beat Papua New Guinea 27-14 to finish second in the pool.
Julia Mba Oyana scored two quick fire tries to give Hong Kong a 12-0 lead against Papua New Guinea after four minutes, but they came back with two tries of their own in the latter part of the half to draw the scores at 12-all at the break. In the second half Hong Kong reasserted control to finish with tries to Chong Ka Yan, Au Yeung Sin Yi and captain Natasha Olson Thorne to run out 27-12 winners.
The quarterfinal with Uganda was another arm wrestle. Hong Kong had an excellent start after Chong Ka Yan scored in the opening minute, with Vivian Poon’s conversion bringing the lead to 7-0. Uganda replied in the fourth minute, before a try from Olson Thorne extended Hong Kong’s lead 12-5 into halftime.
Lydia Namabiro scored two tries in the second half as Uganda took the lead for the first time 17-12 after 11 minutes. Nam Ka Man clawed Hong Kong back into it a minute later with a try to level the scores at 17-all. That set the stage for a frenetic finish that saw yellow cards given to each team and play pass the 17 minute marker before Agnes Nakuya broke Hong Kong hearts with a try to give Uganda a 22-17 win.
Hong Kong, China women will have a rematch with Kenya at 03.37am Monday in the seventh place playoff.
Hong Kong, China Men’s Seven for World Rugby Challenger Series (Montevideo): Seb BRIEN (Captain); James CHRISTIE; Max DENMARK; Liam DOHERTY; FONG Kit-Fung; Liam HERBERT; LEE Ka-to, Cado; Callum McCULLOUGH; Alessandro NARDONI; Bryn PHILLIPS; Harry SAYERS; Hugo STILES.
Hong Kong, China Women’s Sevens Squad for World Rugby Challenger Series (Montevideo): Natasha OLSON-THORNE (Captain); AU YEUNG Sin Yi; BALTAZAR, Chloe; BALTAZAR, Micayla; CHAN Tsz Ching; CHONG Ka Yan; FORREST, Shanna; FUNG Hoi Ching, Jasmine; NAM Ka Man; Julia MBA OYANA; POON Hoi Yan, Vivian; Gabriella RIVERS.
Information and Photo source : Elite Step Asia Limited / Hong Kong China Rugby
