Andrew Hall named new head coach for Hong Kong’s 15-a-side rugby team, replacing Leigh Jones
- “Hallsy”, as he is known within Hong Kong’s rugby community, will look to put his stamp on the squad while paying tribute to Leigh Jones’ foundation
- The former Scottish player has been in Hong Kong for almost 10 years working within the rugby scene
Hong Kong came within a win and some points of making the World Cup, starting in late September in Japan, but the missed opportunity forced a serious gut check for the Hong Kong Rugby Union.
Hall sat down with former head coach Leigh Jones, who has now coached the national team on two occasions, and chief rugby operations officer Dai Rees, for a debrief. Hall agreed it was a “soft” exit for Jones, who will now move into an advisory role with the HKRU.
The towering Hall, who stands just under two metres, was previously an assistant coach and head of the elite rugby programme for the 15-a-side team. He said their failure at the repechage, in which Hong Kong squared off against Germany, Kenya and Canada (who won) in Marseille last November, spurred some internal reflection, but they are not about to burn the whole building down.
“It’s not a case of throwing the playbook out completely,” said Hall, who first moved to Hong Kong in 2010 to coach the Hong Kong Cricket Club’s premiership squad. “I’ve learned a hell of a lot from Leigh and still do, but I’m also conscious of being me. I’m not a mini Leigh, so I need to make sure I stay authentic to myself, but still keep the lessons that I’ve learned from him.”
Hall, who hails from Solihull and turns 40 on June 5, has the credentials to back up his appointment. After he took HKCC from cellar dwellers to regular Grand Championship contenders, he joined the HKRU in 2014 as its elite player development manager, and in 2017 became the head of the elite programme.
