Where to for Hong Kong rugby? For the first time in a long while, it is finally in a position to potentially make the big leap onto the professional stage. At what cost will this occur?
With the increasing success of the sevens team and the government’s acceptance that rugby deserves increased funding via the Sports Institute, the HKRFU will hopefully soon be in a position to start paying their players on a full-time basis. Currently, players give up time in their day jobs, use up valuable leave and train before and after work for events like the Hong Kong Sevens and the Asian 5 Nations.
Rugby enters the Sha Tin academy as an elite sport next month, with the extra funding and training facilities that brings. However, where does this leave the HKRFU? Will head coach Dai Rees still have total control over selection and training? Will the players still have access to the support network they currently enjoy? Or will the institute recruit its own “specialist” coaches and try to develop its own programme?
I have been a big supporter of Hong Kong rugby going down the professional route. Money made from events like the Sevens should go towards developing players at the elite level.
The HKRFU does this well and is continually spending money on new facilities and infrastructure. Over the past few years, the union has recruited some talented coaches and this has led to an improvement in club competitions that have filtered down into the development of all players.
Watching mini rugby competitions from week to week, you realise how much the game has benefited. It’s now time to start bearing the fruit. We have seen a number of Hong Kong-qualified boys return after attending university in the UK or Australia. We have also seen a larger number of players stay here for three years to meet residency rules.
The time is right to go professional, but it needs to be done properly. The union and government both need to be fully aware, and understanding, of who will be running the show. I would hope the HKRFU still has total control of the system and development of the game and the government provides the facilities and funding.