Hong Kong player Natasha Olson-Thorne leaving a defender in the mud. (Photo: Lawton Yeung via Fotosports)
As the skies released torrents of water onto Hong Kong, both our women’s and men’s teams took on our traditional rival of Japan for the final games of the Asian Rugby Championships on Saturday.
The women duked it out on a muddy pitch, with Japan taking home the title with a score of 27-12.
“It feels awesome and still hasn’t sunk in,” Japanese number-eight player Mateitoga Bogidraumainadave (say that fast three times) told an Asian Rugby Football Union (ARFU) reporter.
“We came here wanting to win but we had a really young side. But we played to our strengths in the forwards and kept the pressure on them even when we had the yellow cards.”
Fullback Adrienne Garvey stood out in the match, setting up tries for Ivy Kwong and Natasha Olson-Thorne.
Check out some of the highlights from the women’s match:
The men played after, but the game was called off after only 13 minutes with Japan leading 3-0, when ARFU officials decided that the rain made it too dangerous and declared it a draw.
This decision peeved off the Japan coach, who was annoyed that his team didn’t get the chance to play, adding that they had competed in the exact conditions in Fiji, reports the SCMP.
To prove his point, the macho coach then ordered his team to have a full-contact training session while the Hong Kong players stayed dry in the stands and watched, according to Reuters.
Judging from this video posted by a spectator, drowning would have been a legitimate threat had they played:
Congratulations to Japan, and better luck next time Hong Kong!
