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South China Morning Post
29-03-2025
- Sport
- South China Morning Post
China's dramatic win v GB sees them avoid ‘worst team' tag at Hong Kong Sevens
China women's dramatic 24-19 sudden-death victory over Great Britain on Saturday saw them avoid the possibility of earning the 'worst team of the tournament' tag at the Cathay/HSBC Hong Kong Sevens. Advertisement A dismal 24-10 defeat to the United States in their final Pool C fixture earlier in the day had left them in danger of a last-place finish but their first win of the weekend means they would finish ninth if they beat Spain on Sunday. The Spanish beat Ireland 17-7, which means a derby against Great Britain to see who avoids finishing 12th. 'Actually, in the beginning [against Great Britain], we were very anxious, it was not easy,' China's Wang Wanyu said. 'But we found the breakthrough, and in the end, we were able to take it. I feel that everyone believed we could win.' China earned a 24-19 victory over Great Britain in dramatic circumstances with a late try in sudden death. Photo: Elson Li China led the match twice through Zhang Le tries, but Great Britain hit back each time with tries for Georgie Lingham and Emma Uren.
South China Morning Post
28-03-2025
- Sport
- South China Morning Post
Hong Kong-born star shining for United States at Sevens, eyes Olympic glory in 2028
Lucas Lacamp, the former Hong Kong under-20 international, said his decision to switch allegiance to the United States had been validated by the prospect of going for gold at a home Olympics in 2028. Advertisement The 23-year-old Lacamp was one of two Hong Kong-born players who shone in foreign colours on day one of the Cathay/HSBC Hong Kong Sevens, after Flo Symonds, on her tournament bow, impressed for Canada. Both players called for the hosts to figure in future Hong Kong Sevens as invited teams. The athletic Lacamp qualified for the US after studying at the University of California, and made his full international debut in December 2022. When he moved Stateside, he fell out of the Hong Kong reckoning because of a now defunct rule that dictated players must live in the city to gain selection. After a substantial turnover of players following last summer's Olympics, where Lacamp made his Games debut, the US have had a rotten 2024-25 HSBC SVNS Series. Lacamp, who scored a try in his team's opening 26-21 loss to Fiji, before they were beaten 52-5 by Argentina, was adamant that 'we don't care what other people think, as long as we know we're progressing'. Lacamp tries in vain to stop Isikeli Basiyalo touching down for Fiji. Photo: Elson Li 'Considering the players we've lost [including two-time world player of the year Perry Baker] we're in a great place,' added Lacamp, whose side are 11th out of 12 in the series standings. 'Long-term, we're thinking about Los Angeles 2028. We don't mind about our results, as long as we're progressing.
South China Morning Post
26-03-2025
- Sport
- South China Morning Post
Hong Kong Sevens: France eye first title, and why Australia are banking on Chinese proverb
The captain of France's 2024 Olympic champion heroes, Paulin Riva, has targeted Cathay/HSBC Hong Kong Sevens glory to complete a glittering treble of titles. Advertisement Inspired by Antoine Dupont, France won last year's HSBC SVNS Series championship, before striking gold in the Paris Games. Minus Dupont, the French were narrowly beaten by New Zealand in the Hong Kong final 12 months ago. Since their seismic summer, Benoit Baby has replaced Jerome Daret as head coach, while Dupont and Aaron Grandidier, who was included in the 2023-24 series dream team, are among those who have made way for younger blood. The imposing 30-year-old Riva, however, is still going strong and hungry for a landmark success at Kai Tak Stadium's first Hong Kong Sevens. 'I want to [complete the big three], and we want to grow in every tournament,' Riva told the Post. 'We have a younger team, with new players and staff, and they want to win a championship, and then, in three years, the Olympics. The 12 men's team captains with the trophies at Kai Tak Stadium on Wednesday. Photo: May Tse 'This is the biggest tournament of the season, in the new stadium with a big atmosphere. Everyone wants to play in Hong Kong, it's the oldest tournament. So it's very important to try to win here, because we never have.
South China Morning Post
23-03-2025
- Sport
- South China Morning Post
Hong Kong Sevens great says touch rugby's ‘huge selling point' could mean Olympic inclusion
Touch rugby's mixed version was a 'huge selling point' and could allow it to gatecrash the Olympic Games, according to former Hong Kong Sevens superstar Ricky Cheuk Ming-yin. Advertisement Cheuk, who represented the city at last year's Touch World Cup, was elected as a director of Hong Kong, China Rugby in November. He was among a healthy crowd watching Sunday's 2025 Hong Kong International Touch Championships at Happy Valley Recreation Ground, as the ball started rolling for a week-long rugby carnival in the city that will climax with Kai Tak Stadium's first Cathay/HSBC Hong Kong Sevens. Cheuk said he was 'exploring how to integrate touch and sevens', with a view to the non-contact version providing local players for the Hong Kong sevens teams. A veteran of the 2001 and 2005 Rugby Sevens World Cups, he also underlined his wish to make the touch championships better each year. It currently happens over one 12-hour day, but Cheuk was hoping for a two-day competition as soon as next year. Advertisement That would mirror the midweek Tradition HKFC10s, which provide the competitive curtain raiser for the flagship sevens. Sunday's tournament, which featured 26 sides across three competitions, saw local teams joined by opponents from mainland China, Singapore, Japan and Taiwan.
