Mixed fortune for HK as storms disrupt plans
Hurricane Gavin stole the players' thunder yesterday at the Fiji Sevens, as all 16 teams - including Hong Kong - struggled to make headway in the wet and stormy conditions.
The territory were beaten 17-5 by a New Zealand Select but kept their chances of entering the Cup competition by thrashing Malaysia 43-5 in the final game of the day.
Hong Kong have to beat Tonga in their last preliminary round game if they are to advance to the Cup today.
'It will be a close game. The poor conditions will have levelled the playing field for both sides. I think we have a good chance of progressing through to the Cup,' said Hong Kong manager Leighton Duley.
Despite the presence of some of the best talent in sevens rugby in Suva, all talk was centred around the unseasonal hurricane which has badly disrupted the plans of teams like Australia, Fiji and New Zealand to use the tournament as a build-up to the World Cup Sevens to be held in Hong Kong later this month.
Football Club lock forward Hamish Bowden did not allow the poor weather to dampen his enthusiasm - scoring four tries to finish the day's top try-scorer. Bowden scored Hong Kong's solitary try against the Kiwis and then completed a hat-trick in the easy win over Malaysia.
