Boots and all | Tough challenges await ‘perfect man for the job’
Pressure on for new Hong Kong skipper Nick Hewson, but there’s good reason he ‘ticks all the boxes’
Hong Kong have a new captain – and considering the man, that’s a very good thing – but they will confront the same old problems as they look forward to next year’s HSBC Asian Five Nations campaign that will double as the regional qualifier for the 2015 Rugby World Cup in England.
Man-for-all-seasons – be it sevens or 15s – Nick Hewson has been given the responsibility of leading Hong Kong and he will face a baptism of fire in the two tests against Belgium later this month.
A full-time player at the Hong Kong Sports Institute, the WhichWay Valley blindside flanker was without question the correct choice for Hong Kong coach Leigh Jones when he decided it was time for a change as Tom McColl found it increasingly difficult to devote time to his rugby because of his day of job flying planes for Cathay Pacific.
Jones’ task was made easier by the fact that Hewson is an outstanding player. A key member of the Hong Kong sevens squad, Hewson has also shown his versatility playing in the second row for Valley.
No wonder that Jones described Hewson as a player who “ticks all the boxes” and is someone who commands the respect of his peers.
This is a vital ingredient for a leader. Not only must he be able to hold down his place in the side, he should be able to lead from the front. Talking a big game is meaningless if a player can’t back that up.
But will a new captain solve Hong Kong’s age-old problem – beating Japan.
