'Bringing in Dallas Seymour as coach has given the side an extra boost this year'
Hong Kong have the depth and talent to take their game to a new level, HK Rugby Football Union chairman John Molloy said yesterday after another successful Sevens.
Hong Kong won plenty of plaudits for progressing to the Plate, Sproof that their grand plan involving former New Zealand Sevens star Dallas Seymour was heading in the right direction. Hong Kong were exposed by their lack of pace in their loss against the Kenya, but Molloy said there were a number of bright prospects coming through the ranks who had the speed and talent to star on the big stage.
'Bringing in Dallas Seymour as coach has given the side an extra boost this year. This is a plan we have put in place going through to the Rugby World Cup Sevens here in 2005. We have one or two younger players coming through and maybe they will be pushing for a place in the side next year. What we have to do is give them the best quality coaching we can.
'The state of rugby is getting stronger every year. We have put a lot of emphasis in the past five years into mini-rugby. We have thousands of children playing every Sunday - more than 3,000 across 15 clubs. We are trying to make sure they go through to youth rugby and end up in senior rugby.
'And hopefully we will see them in the Hong Kong national side. We are beginning to see the fruits of this with young players coming through into the First Division and challenging for Hong Kong places.'