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Patrick Donovan
Patrick Donovan
A stalwart of the Hong Kong club rugby scene and the new director of clubs at the HKRFU, Patrick promises to drop the curtain on life at the coalface of club rugby in Hong Kong. His years of propping up the front row for Hong Kong Cricket Club, coupled with his New Zealand upbringing, gives Patrick a unique insight on the development of the game from a club and community perspective.

A record 81 teams and nearly 1,400 players will turn out every Saturday as rugby in Hong Kong goes from strength to strength. Up to 39 games will be played every weekend across the 10 different rugby grounds, presenting a major logistical challenge for the HKRFU, which is already facing issues concerning pitch availability every weekend.

Seasoned campaigners know Hong Kong Sevens week is a marathon, not a sprint, and it’s important to have built up a tolerance for the deluge of events.

The Paul Y Premiership came to a thrilling climax last Saturday, with champions Leighton Asia HKCC and runners-up WhichWay Valley finally separated by a single point at the end of what was the closest league competition in recent memory.

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Hong Kong's national 15s team going up against Belgium over the coming few days is dominated by in-form players from the Paul Y Premiership – proving the success of the HKRFU’s renewed focus on domestic rugby.