Samurai to play in HK to honour ex-coach
British select team Samurai International RFC will play in memory of former Wales Sevens coach Colin Hillman at this month's GFI Hong Kong Football Club Tens.
Hillman, who died in July after a long battle with pancreatic cancer, was part of the Welsh national sevens set-up which won the Rugby World Cup Sevens in Dubai last March. He was also a longstanding coach of Samurai at the HKFC Tens.
'Colin's favourite tournament and indeed his favourite city was Hong Kong and it is therefore fitting the team will return in his honour,' said Terry Sands, founder of Samurai.
'Colin was my closest friend and I thought the absolute world of him. He has helped me with the Samurai team for many, many years and without him the team would never have seen the success they have. It was a privilege to work with him.
'He will be sadly missed by everyone,' Sands added. In a tribute to Hillman, the Welsh Rugby Union has awarded caps to the Rugby World Cup Sevens winning players. From now on, caps will now be awarded to all Wales sevens internationals, but in recognition of all the players who have previously played the shortened game for Wales, a ceremonial 'first cap' was presented to Janine Hillman, Colin's widow, as a tribute to her husband's services to sevens rugby in Wales.
Samurai International have been grouped with Penguins, Cardiff University and hosts Hong Kong Football Club in the preliminary rounds at the 16-team tournament on March 24 and 25. They have never progressed past the Cup semi-final stage, but will be hoping to go further to give a fitting tribute to Hillman.
