Hong Kong Sevens: men’s and women’s teams opt for experience plus some newcomers for next week’s Melrose Claymores event
- For the women’s team, captain Natasha Olson-Thorne will make her 50th appearance alongside several stalwarts and debutant
- For the men, there is a surprise recall for the city’s most-capped player while Fong Kit-fung, James Sawyer will make debuts
Experience alongside a sprinkling of debutants is the formula for both the women’s and men’s teams selected for next week’s Melrose Claymores competitions at the Cathay/HSBC Hong Kong Sevens.
For the women’s team, captain Natasha Olson-Thorne will be making her 50th appearance during the tournament, while the squad also includes Micayla Baltazar and her sister Chloe, alongside mainstays Nam Ka-man, Jessica Ho Wai-on and Chong Ka-yan.
Etta Kwong Tin-tung is one player who could make her debut for the squad, which was announced on Wednesday, and Gabriella Rivers is included after strong performances at the Challenger Series.
“This is a really good team and the new players coming in bring good energy, and alongside our experienced players, I think it makes us a really exciting team to watch,” said Nam.
At an open training session on Tuesday, women’s head coach Andy Vilk hinted that there could be new additions to the squad for the tournament at Hong Kong Stadium.
“We’ve got 16 women in a training group now and it’s just about getting our balance right and maybe exposing some more players, especially to what Hong Kong brings and playing at home,” Vilk said.
The men’s and women’s sevens teams will compete in the Melrose Claymores tournament, which is run concurrently with the Hong Kong leg of the World Sevens Series.
The men will face China and Japan, while the women will be up against China and Thailand.
Max Woodward will captain the men’s team and the city’s most capped player, Salom Yiu Kam-sing – who was not selected for the Challenger Series – was given a surprise return to the squad.
“I won’t let him retire just yet,” said men’s team coach Jevon Groves.
“He’s been training well and there are certain tournaments we’re going to target with him, in terms of him being a passport holder for the [Paris 2024 qualifying tournament].”
Fong Kit-fung and James Sawyer will both make their HK Sevens debuts.
Fong is one of nine players who reached the final of the Challenger Series in Uruguay earlier this month to retain his place.
“When he’s come on, he’s been excellent,” Groves said.
“Defensively, I think Fong has put in some great moments, particularly at the first Challenger in Dubai.
“He came on and changed the dynamic of the tie against Georgia.”
Groves said Max Denmark (knee) and Seb Brien (ankle) had both picked up injuries at the Challenger Series in Uruguay and were unavailable for selection.
Both teams will back up after the Melrose Claymores competition with the third leg of the World Rugby HSBC Sevens Challenger in Poland in May, followed in June by the final qualifying tournament in Monaco for the Paris 2024 Olympics.
Hong Kong, China Men’s Sevens squad
Max Woodward (captain); James Christie; Mike Coverdale; Fong Kit-fung; Liam Herbert; Cado Lee Ka-to; Alessandro Nardoni; Bryn Phillips; James Sawyer; Harry Sayers; Hugo Stiles; Salom Yiu Kam-shing
Hong Kong, China Women’s Sevens wider squad*
Natasha Olson-Thorne (captain); Au Yeung Sin-yi; Chloe Baltazar; Micayla Baltazar; Stephanie Chan Chor-ki; Agnes Chan Tsz-ching; Chong Ka-yan; Shanna Forrest; Fung Hoi-ching; Jessica Ho Wai-on; Hui Man-ling; Etta Kwong Tin-tung; Sabay Lynam; Nam Ka-man; Poon Hoi-yan; Gabriella Rivers
*The women’s team will be reduced to 12 players before the tournament begins
