Asian Games 2023: Hong Kong’s sevens teams told to play ‘without fear’, as men defend title and women seek first medal
- With Japan standing between Hong Kong’s men and a second gold medal, head coach Paul John says team cannot play within themselves
- Women’s coach Andy Vilk urges team not to think about what winning might mean but to focus on ‘how we want to play’
Paul John has told Hong Kong’s rugby sevens teams to play “without fear” at the Asian Games after the men’s and women’s 12-player squads were confirmed this week.
The men’s team go to Hangzhou as defending champions after beating Japan to win in Jakarta in 2018, but Jevon Groves’ side suffered a hiccup in their build-up last month, losing twice to the same opponents in the Asia Rugby Sevens Series in South Korea.
John, head of the elite sevens athlete programme at the Hong Kong Sports Institute, said the ineligibility of non-passport holding players was a complicating factor in preparations.
Hong Kong play their pool fixtures, against Philippines and Malaysia, on Sunday, with quarter-final matches on Monday, and the semi-finals – likely to feature Hong Kong against Japan – and final on Tuesday September 26.
“Sevens is unpredictable but the task in the opening matches is to make it as predictable as possible,” John said. “We need to get into our stride over the first couple of days, then we know the size of a semi-final against Japan.
