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They started with much promise and carried local rugby's dreams of a better tomorrow. But four months into the 1996-97 season, the lustre and novelty of being the newest team in the Hong Kong Rugby Football Union's development programme is over.

  Today, the Correctional Services Department (CSD) outfit are struggling at the bottom of the Fourth Division. No harm in that. Someone has to come last in any competition.

  But what is worrying Union officials is the fact that the all-Chinese team could pull out of rugby next season after being confronted with problems like injury and unavailability of players.

  A high drop-out rate amongst his teammates has forced CSD skipper Kenneth Ho to ask the inevitable question: 'Can I find enough players to field a side next season?'.

  As for this season, CSD (who have turned up for five of their 11 games) will limp along and try and honour all their league commitments by joining forces - starting tomorrow - with another struggling Chinese side, the Bulls.

  'We began the season with 23 players.

   'But due to injury and a high drop-out rate we are now left with about six players,' said Ho. 'I'm very disappointed and feel sorry for the Union who have helped us a lot.'   The Union provided all the support they could, including providing a coach in Hong Kong squad member Neil Alton, a highly popular figure amongst the development teams.

   Although they have tried to take into account all the needs of the CSD, the Union are faced with another more pressing problems.

  'A problem has arisen when new players to rugby run up against teams who field players who have been playing the game for a long time.

   'We have to provide a gentler introduction to the game for the novices,' said Pieter Schats, chief executive officer of the Union.

  Coming up against teams like Club VII or Tigers III, CSD have withered in the face of the massive gweilo presence.

  'We started in 1995 by playing tap rugby. We were keen to continue and joined the league. But now, most of the players have found out that it is a different sport. They are scared when they come up against the Europeans,' said Ho.

  The transition from tap to tackle rugby has been insurmountable for CSD.

  Schats concedes there is a problem: 'It is proving to be a bit more difficult than we envisaged. Bringing on the 'older' Chinese players is harder than bringing on young players through the age groups.'   He says, quite rightly, that it is much easier for a player to take up the game at a young age and progress upwards (like what is happening, albeit at a trickle, from mini-rugby right up to the under-19 level).

  The solution, according to Schats, may be to to create a system which would ensure a smoother introduction to rugby for the older Chinese players.

  'Maybe we have to think about a novice division next season where only Chinese players will play,' said Schats.

  'It would be better,' agrees Ho. But whether the CSD will be around, is hard to say.



CSD players shy away from rough stuff