Little change to squad as Dai Rees looks to build on success
It could have been interpreted in two ways: that coach Dai Rees has remained faithful to the players who earned Hong Kong the sobriquet of Asian sevens champions, or the lack of depth forced him to stick with the same crop.
There were no surprises sprung yesterday when the Hong Kong men's team were announced for the Cathay Pacific/HSBC Hong Kong Sevens.
It could have been interpreted in two ways: that coach Dai Rees has remained faithful to the players who earned Hong Kong the sobriquet of Asian sevens champions, or the lack of depth forced him to stick with the same crop.
Both views starkly underline the tricky path Hong Kong will have to manoeuvre at the sixth leg of the HSBC Sevens World Series, a tournament which in itself doesn't hold any significance for the home team other than to see that they emerge from it unharmed bodily and with their spirits undiminished.
"Yes, results are not important this week. What matters is performance. We will set goals - team and individual - and be measuring ourselves against the world's best," Rees said.
"But winning a game or two will be good for morale and we have set a goal of finishing in the top 12 or making it to a final on the last day and to do this we have to win games."
Hong Kong will be playing in the top-tier competition alongside the 15 core teams and not in the bottom 12-team pre-qualifying tournament. Rowan Varty and his men are assured of a berth in the qualifying round at the London Sevens in May.