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Anna Richards Picks Experienced Women’s Squad

Two years ago, at the first ever hosting of an Asia Rugby Sevens Series event in Hong Kong, the HK women’s team beat Japan in the semi-finals to reach their first ever Cup final, losing there to China 38-7.

Women’s Sevens coach Anna Richards is hoping to capitalise on home field advantage again as the ARW7s opens today at the HK Football Club. Richards has picked an experienced side for this week’s competition with the objective of going one step further at team’s home event and lifting the trophy..

“Marky (Komar, Women’s Sevens assistant coach), and I are very happy with the make-up of the side. We had almost everyone to choose from and we chose the side we thought would get us a win in the first leg,” said Richards as the squad trained. The squad has a familiar feel to it with captain Christy Cheng Ka-chi once again leading from the front while Aggie Poon Pak-yan and Natasha Olson-Thorne will provide a potent force out wide.

Hong Kong are the second seeds in Pool A tomorrow behind Japan and ahead of Singapore and Guam. Pool B features China, Thailand, Uzbekistan and Sri Lanka.

While Hong Kong beat Japan in their last outing at the HK Women’s Rugby Sevens in March, Richards says the stakes have grown for all the teams in the intervening months and expects a stiffer challenge from the Asian champions tomorrow who will be looking to improve on their disappointing Olympics where they finished tenth.

“We’re six months down the track from that win, and Japan have brought their top side here this weekend. They are no longer a core team on the international series so like all the teams here they will need to finish in the top two in the Asian Series to gain entry to the Women’s World Series qualifiers. I see a lot of their top girls in their squad for this weekend, which is what we want. It’s always good to play Japan no matter what and we want to face their best.”

A strong day one will be essential and Richards is pleased that the opportunity will come in front of a friendly audience. “It is always nice to start a competition like this at home. It is only our third tournament of the year so the girls are excited. We have done a lot of training, but haven’t played in a lot of tournaments. The girls are keen to get out there. They love to play in Hong Kong in front of their families,” said Richards.

A positive start is a priority for Richards who recalled that Hong Kong’s impressive finish in 2014 was nearly derailed by a sluggish start. “In 2014 we had a poor first day. We just snuck into the semis on goal difference as we drew with Thailand. Then on day two we had a great win over Japan but didn’t do so well against China in the final.

“That was the first time the girls had won silver, but I would like to emulate last year’s Season opener in Qingdao when we played really well to win our first Cup on the Series.” Hong Kong beat China convincingly in the final 24-15 in Qingdao to claim their first ever Asia Rugby Sevens Series event title. “Qingdao was really a watershed moment for the girls and I would like to carry on from there,” said Richards.

The Asian Sevens Series serves a qualifier for the global qualification tournament for the Women’s World Sevens Series with invites handed out to the top two finishers.

Hong Kong Women’s Sevens Squad (Asia Rugby Sevens Series – Hong Kong): Cheng Ka-Chi, Christy (Captain); Natasha Olson-Thorne (Vice Captain); Nam Ka-Man; Candy Cheng Tsz-Ting; Aggie Poon Pak-Yan; Sham Wai-Sum; Colleen Tjosvold; Kwong Sau-Yan; Li Nim-Yan, Melody; Chong Ka-Yan, Adrienne Garvey, Yuen Lok-Yee.

Asia Rugby Sevens Series
Date: 2-3 September, 2016
Venue: HK Football Club
Tickets: Free
More info: public entry via Happy Valley infield, via the tunnel near the HK Racing Museum
Live stream: http://www.youtube.com/c/AsiaRugbylive/live

Additional reporting and photo: HKRU

Hong Kong Women’s Sevens 2015 – Day 1 Results

A superb unbeaten run from Hong Kong, including a 31-14 victory over Asian champions China, pushed the hosts into a commanding position at the end of the opening day of the Hong Kong Women’s Sevens 2015.

Hong Kong defeated Asian Games Gold medalists China, who also feature on the World Rugby Women’s Sevens Series, in the final match of the day to set up an enticing Cup quarterfinal clash against Samoa. Hong Kong will play Samoa tomorrow in the last cup quarterfinal at 10.40am at Hong Kong Football Club.

“China doesn’t seem to be as good as when we came across them last year in the Asian Series. It doesn’t mean to say that they have changed their whole team, but they definitely have a few new girls here this weekend but we have definitely improved our game,” said Hong Kong coach Anna Richards.

A brace from Natasha Olson-Thorne in the first five minutes, gave Hong Kong a confidence boost against China. A lovely solo effort from Aggie Poon from deep inside Hong Kong territory increased the lead to 19-0 at the break. China came back in the second half with a try but Hong Kong remained composed with Lai Pou-fan outstanding in defence forcing the mainland girls into repeated Lindsay Varty added a fourth try making full use of the space created by Kwong Sau-yan. Hong Kong rounded off a solid performance with Kwong scoring a fifth try before China scored a late consolation try.

Hong Kong had earlier in the day pulled off another fine victory over Kazakhstan 17-5, and opened their account with a 41-0 win over Singapore. “I am very happy with the way the girls performed and very happy with where we finished after day one. It has given us a great shot at day two,” said Richards. “We talked a lot this week about being calm and having ball control and that was what I was “We started off pretty well against Singapore and we scored a lot of early points, maybe we got a bit scrappy in the last three minutes or so but we still managed to win 41-0, so I was very happy with our start.

“We played a great match against Kazakhstan. Again we spoke about being calm and composed and a lot about ball control and keep tackling,” said Richards. “Our girls tackled their hearts out and scrambled really well on defence and scored three very important tries which gave us a fantastic win. Last year, we traded wins with Kazakhstan over the season, but today our game against them was probably some of the best rugby and free-running rugby that I have seen our girls play. That game gave the girls a huge amount of confidence going into the China game,” Richards continued.

Hong Kong will come up against Samoa who they met last month in a losing cause at “Our girls were really disappointed the last time we played and this give us another shot at them,” Richards added.

Hong Kong’s goal is to reach the Cup final for the first time in the history of the Hong Kong Women’s Sevens and play in front of the Friday night crowd at the Hong Kong Sevens.

Hong Kong Women’s Sevens Squad Announced

The Hong Kong Women’s Sevens squad was announced today. Hong Kong will face a stiff – albeit familiar, challenge after being drawn into an all-Asian pool for the Hong Kong Women’s Sevens in 2015. Hong Kong will face Asian number one China, Kazakhstan (ranked fourth behind third-placed Hong Kong) and Singapore in their opening round matches.

Although missing a few key players due to injury, head coach Anna Richards has still been able to name an experienced squad under the captaincy of Royce Chan Leong Sze, who makes her tenth appearance at the Hong Kong Women’s Sevens.

Try-scoring threats Aggie Poon Pak Yan and Natasha Olson-Thorne have both been named in the final twelve, which features two change to the squad that won the Asia-Pacific Cross-Regional Sevens in Borneo last month. The experienced Candy Cheng Tsz Ting earns her eighth Hong Kong Sevens appearance while Nam Ka Man makes her debut. In total, ten of the squad have played previously in the Women’s Sevens, with Adrienne Garvey and Nam the only debutants.

Women’s Squad:
Royce CHAN, Leong Sze (captain) #
Christy CHENG, Ka Chi (vice captain)
Candy CHENG, Tsz Ting
Adrienne GARVEY*
KWONG Sau Yan
LAI Pou Fan
NAM Ka Man*
Natasha OLSON-THORNE
Aggie POON, Pak Yan
Amelie SEURE
SHAM Wai Sum
Lindsay VARTY

Anna RICHARDS (Head Coach)
Mark KOMAR (Coach)
Dannii CHEUNG (Manager)

* Hong Kong Women’s Rugby Sevens
# 10th Hong Kong Women’s Rugby Sevens appearance in 2015

Hong Kong Match Schedule (Pool Rounds)

Thursday 27^thMarch, King’s Park

Match	Time		Game
4	11.00	Hong Kong	v	Singapore
10	13.00	Hong Kong	v	Kazakhstan
17	15.50	Hong Kong	v	China

Hong Kong Women Ready For Asian Sevens Series

Hong Kong women’s 7s team will take part in the Asian Sevens series this weekend and coach Anna Richards is happy with her squad’s preparation for the tournament. Training has been going well in recent months and Royce Chan will again captain the side.

“We’ve been back in full training since the start of June and they’re doing well. First and foremost we’ve only really been concentrating on core skills and I think the players have improved immensely since they first started nearly a year ago,” she said.

“The amount of training they’ve been doing really showed up in their performances in the Asian Four Nations over the summer. Their skills were much better.”

Richards is also concentrating on trying to get more girls through from junior up to senior level. “It’s important we identify talent and develop that talent as soon as we can,” she said.

Hong Kong Women’s Sevens Squad:
Royce Chan (captain), Christy Cheng, Amelie Seure, Chrissy Gordon, Melody Li, Ivy Kwong, Lai Pou Fan, Candy Chen, Rose Fong, Natasha Olsen-Thorne, Lindsay Varty, Aggie Poon