Fittest, fastest HK side yet not in the race so it's time we gave them more experience
Reality hit the Hong Kong team on Friday when they lost three games in a row. After more than three months of a well-structured programme the team found they played to their seeding - at the bottom of pool C.
The feeling around the stadium was that Hong Kong had done badly, and in reality they had. Their ball control was not up to it and they kicked the ball away. They gave away penalties and they had three players off the pitch at various times with yellow cards.
They also suddenly realised that while they were the fittest and fastest team Hong Kong had put together, they were slow compared with the big boys. They gave their opposition space to run in and then couldn't run them down. They also never won the crowd's support.
But hey, let's remember this was not the Hong Kong Sevens - it was the World Cup and in reality we were only there because we were hosts. Go back four years and the Hong Kong team in Argentina (who had qualified) didn't win a game and only scored one try in three days. On day one this Hong Kong team had one try and still had hopes for a win.
Saturday saw Hong Kong decide to make a go of it with their best game against Fiji. But with Fiji in awesome form, it didn't come to much. Japan were a team which could have been beaten but two bad decisions saw Hong Kong throw away tries and the game. Japan are so far ahead in Asian rugby that while they were in sight on Saturday, they proved to be too far out of reach too often.
Two days and no wins. But three tries made this team better than that of 2001.
Crunch time came yesterday in the bowl, with a chance to break the 1991 no-win record. Hong Kong played Kenya. But Kenya are fast and know how to win - and they did. But two more tries put this Hong Kong team way ahead of the team of 1991.
Lots of questions are raised by this performance. Don't doubt that the players and the coaches tried their hardest. They could have played smarter, could have been coached smarter, but in the end you only do what you are allowed to do by the opposition. And the opposition, including Kenya, is 95 per cent professional and playing in regular World Series events.
For Hong Kong to get those skills and self confidence we need semi-professional players for a start, more international experience and a boost in natural skill. If we put them on the world stage we should give them the experience to perform well.
It's a problem for the International Rugby Board - how do the smaller countries take part in international Sevens without being demolished. All the Asian teams were out by yesterday morning. We need a semi-professional Asian Sevens circuit - and quickly.
The next target is the Asian Games. Add a few of our younger local players to Varty, Gibbs and Cheuk, give them a well-structured programme and maybe they can perform above this year's standard. These Games should be the forum where Hong Kong can perform with success.
Ian Brownlee is a former Hong Kong coach and current selector
