Haynes’ return from injury boost for Hong Kong sevens squad
Forward will add depth to side as they try to retain their Asian crown in Singapore
Livewire forward Anthony Haynes could not have timed his return from injury better with Hong Kong travelling to Singapore this weekend for the fourth and final leg of the HSBC Asian Sevens Series with the crown hanging precariously in the balance.
Haynes, who injured his knee during the National Games in September, will turn out for the first time in the regional championship, which reaches its climax at the Singapore Sevens with Japan dangerously positioned to knock Hong Kong off their pedestal. Hong Kong lead the standings on 35 points, one more than Japan.
"It is great to have Ant back. He is a quality, experienced player with six Hong Kong Sevens tournaments under his belt and he is a specialist hooker too, alongside Lee Jones, which is a critical factor especially in the latter half of the tournament," said Hong Kong sevens head coach Dai Rees.
"In the final in Mumbai against Japan, we had four lineouts in the last four minutes to control the game. Lee can't keep going for a full 20 minutes so Ant gives us the depth that we need to help us control a game the way was want to, particularly on day two," Rees added.
Haynes is the only change to the side who won the India Sevens in Mumbai last month, replacing Tomasi Lawa, with Hong Kong opting to stick to up-and-coming youngster Max Woodward. The rest of the squad, captained by Jamie Hood, remains the same and will include Nick Hewson, Kwok Ka-chun, Raef Morrison, Rowan Varty, Ben Rimene, Alex and Tom McQueen and Salom Yiu Kam-shing.
The stakes are high for Hood and company. They know they will have to beat Japan - assuming both teams make it to the Cup final as they have done in all three previous legs - to clinch the Asian title for a second successive year. Japan won the opening two legs in Malaysia and Thailand but yet trail Hong Kong, winners in Mumbai, by one point in the head-to-head points differential.
