25-04-2025
- Sport
- South China Morning Post
India's RPL circuit ‘will be high-quality sevens experience' for Hong Kong
Hong Kong players will be able to gain vital insights when they rub shoulders with some of the world's best sevens exponents in India in June.
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That is the view of Paul John, the head of Hong Kong sevens rugby, who said it was imperative for his charges to acquire more experience outside the handful of do-or-die tournaments they contest every year.
Michael Coverdale, Mak Kwai-chung and Fong Kit-fung are all going to the pioneering Indian-staged Rugby Premier League (RPL), whose six franchise teams will be led by elite coaches and feature marquee international performers.
'Our players will play with and against world-class players, and under world-class coaches, in a completely different environment – which is great for their development on a number of fronts,' John said.
'They'll also mix and train with top players for two weeks before the tournament, so it'll be a high-quality sevens experience.'
Fong Kit-fung (centre) gets stuck in during training at Hong Kong Sports Institute. Photo: Elson Li
Coverdale will play under All Blacks Sevens head coach Tomasi Cama for Delhi Redz. Another New Zealander, DJ Forbes, is in charge of Hyderabad Heroes, where Fong will line up alongside Argentine powerhouse Luciano Gonzalez. Mak's teammates at Bengaluru Bravehearts include the New Zealand trio of Scott Curry, Tone Ng Shiu and Akuila Rokolisoa.
