Hong Kong comfortably beat South Korea 41-15, and secured second place in the Asian Rugby Championship, in the final match played in Hong Kong on Saturday June 4 at the Hong Kong Football Club.
Hong Kong outscored Korea five tries to two, and played with much more tactical awareness than their opponents. The game turned in the last five minutes of the first half, when Korea had two penalties in quick succession. The first they made a complete hash of, by over-kicking the tryline; the second one, they lost the ball from the set piece, and Hong Kong ran in an 80m breakaway try. Korea, instead of ending the half ahead of Hong Kong, they trailed by 9points, on the scoreboard, and suffered a crucial psychological blow.
Hong Kong began brightly, but it was Korea that scored first after 5 minutes, running in an excellent try by winger Soop-Yeong Lee: he converted his try to give Korea the lead 0-7. Hong Kong quickly responded, through fly-half Ben Rimene, who scooped-up a loose ball, dropped by the Korean backs, ran 30 metres evading the Korean defence, to score under the posts, and convert his own try to even the score at 7-7.
Hong Kong gradually asserted authority; gained more possession and ran the ball at Korea. A high kick, and smother tackle by Hong Kong full-back Alex McQueen, led to 35m penalty, converted by Rimene, to give Hong Kong the lead 10-7 after 20minutes.
The lead did not last long, as Korea took full advantage of slack Hong Kong defending, when next in the Hong Kong 22, and hooker, Min Kyu Kim ran in an easy try, to allow Korea to regain the lead, 10-12. The conversion was missed.
At 28 minutes, whilst the Korean centre decided an altercation with a Hong Kong forward took priority over defence, Hong Kong flanker Toby Fenn, exploited a chasm in the Korean midfield (where the centre should have been) to sprint 40m for an uncontested try, converted by Rimene. Hong Kong now led 17-12.
Korea edged back into the game and began to get more territory in the Hong Kong half, and Korea deservedly converted a penalty at 34 minutes to close the scoreline to 17-15. At this point, fortune started to favour Hong Kong. Firstly, Toby Fenn, was lucky not to be yellow-carded for a late tackle. Secondly, Korea then made a hash of penalties in the Hong Kong half, which led to Hong Kong turning the ball over, with scrumhalf Jamie Hood, making a sharp break, setting-up winger Ryan Meacheam, to score an excellent 80 metre try to extend Hong Kong’s lead, with Rimene adding the conversion from the touchline. Hong Kong ended the half, leading 24-15.
The second half was dominated by Hong Kong. After 47 minutes, a sublime break by Rimene, and a floated pass to Meacheam, saw the Hong Kong winger sprint across the tryline for his second try. Rimene added the conversion. Hong Kong extended their lead to 31-15.
The game then started to stutter with a series of penalties that disrupted match continuity. Some of the decisions by the officials raised eyebrows on and off the pitch. Substitute Hong Kong centre, Lex Kaleca was harshly sin-binned for a solid tackle on a Korean player; if there was any justice, Korea was unable to make their numeric advantage count. During that 10 minute period, Rimene added a sublime drop goal to extend Hong Kong’s lead to 34-15.
At 76 minutes, Hong Kong centre, Jamie Robinson, barged through the Korean defence to score, and settle the match: again, Rimene, faultless with the boot all afternoon, added the points, and Hong Kong savoured a deserved 41-15 victory.
Korea often gifted Hong Kong points: their early promise and discipline faded as the game progressed, and allowed Hong Kong opportunities to score, either through poor discipline, poor skills or poor thinking. Hong Kong played with more nous. Rimene, as playmaker, was supreme (again), and Hong Kong has a tactician, who can dictate and direct play. He did not miss a kick all afternoon, scored a try, converted all other tries, kicked a penalty and added a drop goal. If Korea had a Rimene the scores could have been reversed!
Hong Kong will take satisfaction, with the way they played and controlled the game, and if they could find more speed in moving the ball from the ruck and maul, and crossing the gainline, and there were signs this is starting to happen, they will establish real distance from other teams in Asia and close the gap on Japan. Next season will show if the “elite player” programme, and the professional approach taken by Hong Kong with rugby, starts to see the team challenge ‘Top Twenty’ World Rugby teams.
Grahame Carder is a sports enthusiast, former player and now resident in Hong Kong
