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The King’s College boys went one step further this year and managed to secure equal 3rd place at the prestigious GFI Hong Kong 10s tournament.
Bill Mason, Hong Kong 10’s Tournament Director, was delighted with the effort showcased by the Kingsmen. “I was most impressed with the way the King’s players conducted themselves, both on and off the field.” Earlier this month a tour party of 26 made their way up to Hong Kong to compete in their 3rd GFI Hong Kong 10s. “King’s caused one of the biggest upsets of recent years, by beating ‘Samurai’, a team stacked with Fijian Sevens internationals in one of the games of the tournament.” said Bill Mason, Hong Kong 10’s Tournament Director. The all-Fijian Samurai team was loaded with nine Fiji international sevens players including Nasoni Rokobiau (ranked among the World Rugby Sevens Series top 20 all-time try scorers), Masivesi Dakuwaqa (Olympic Gold Medallist) and Emosi Vucago (former Fiji Sevens Captain). King’s College, the youngest team with an average age of 21 was not the biggest team by any means. However, their well structured and well thought out play made the difference in securing the win against Samurai. Stan Harman, GFI HK 10s Referee Manager suggested that King’s were the fan favourites again this year. “King's College is a team that plays an exciting and expansive style of rugby. As an official, I am always impressed with everyone involved, from their strong team ethos and their ability to compete with the best in the world.” King’s unfortunately lost in the Semi-final to the eventual Cup final winners, UBB Gavekal. Dave Jackman, King’s College Head Coach believes his team has what it takes to lift the Cup next year. “It’s always going to be a tough ask coming up against experienced and professional teams such as Samurai (UK - Fijian Players), YCAC (Japan - New Zealand Players) and UBB (French Top 14 - International Players). Our performance this year shows that sometimes it truly is the size of the fight in the dog.” “I am extremely proud of the boys coming together to deliver such a great result. While other teams rely on their individual stars to get them across the line, we believe in our game plan, structures and trust in each other. Next year we aim to come back bigger and better!” King’s College intends to return next year with a performance that sees them lifting the Cup final trophy. RESULTS: Game 1: King’s 17 – CCIG Tigers 14 Game 2: King’s 26 – Devils Shanghai Dragons 0 Game 3: King’s 0 – Tradition YCAC (Finalists) 17 Quarter Final: King’s 15 – Samurai 14 Semi Final: King’s 0 – UBB Gavekal (Winners) 26
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 King’s College sponsored by Strategic Equity Alliance will return to Hong Kong for the GFI Hong Kong 10s for the third straight year. Seven veterans from the 2016 and 2017 tournaments return in 2018 to lead a talented group full of new faces. Former Queensland Reds and Kamaishi Seawaves scrumhalf Scott Gale will lead the group, supported by Australian National Rugby Championship representatives Jock Campbell, Josh Birch, Patrick Morrey and Campbell Wakely.
Stars from 2016’s Team of the Tournament group Mackenzie Burgess, Ben Campbell, James Ohmsen and Thomas Vaessen will also feature alongside another experienced hand in former College President Austin Smith, who represented Hong Kong Scottish at last year’s tournament. Headlining an exciting crop of rookies is 21-year-old livewire Connor Clancy, an Australian Rugby Sevens National Champion from 2016’s dominant Queensland team. Fellow Kings rookies Harry McMahon and Alex Moses made big impressions at the 2017 Queensland Schoolboys trials, while Finn Mounsey, Ash Whitehead, Tom and Henry Sharp have made their names featuring in Queensland’s famed GPS Schools competition. The group will be coached for the third time by South African-born coach Dave Jackman, ably assisted by Dane Jones of the University of Queensland Rugby Football Club. King’s College sponsored by Strategic Equity Alliance have been seeded 6th in the 2018 competition, entering Pool C alongside title contenders Tradition YCAC from Yokohama, the US-based CCIC Tigers coached by Blitzbokke legend Frankie Horne, and the Devil’s Own Shanghai Silver Dragons. Coaches: Dave Jackman + Dane Jones 1. Mackenzie Burgess 2. Ben Campbell 3. Jock Campbell 4. Conor Clancy 5. Luke Cuskelly 6. Scott Gale 7. Josh Birch 8. Harry McMahon 9. Patrick Morrey 10. Finn Mounsey 11. James Ohmsen 12. Alex Moses 13. Henry Sharp 14. Tom Sharp 15. Thomas Vaessen 16. Campbell Wakely 17. Ash Whitehead 18. Austin Smith |
Nic Darveniza
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