The future might be bright, but yesterday everything was gloom for Jamie Hood and his men as Hong Kong failed to defend their Asian title. It was powerfully wrested back by Japan, who lifted the fourth and final leg of the HSBC Asian Sevens Series in Singapore, winning 24-19.

The signs are good for Hong Kong as they close in on their second successive Asian title after finishing the first day at the Singapore Sevens unbeaten, but more importantly with their try line uncrossed.

Hong Kong will go all out to give head coach Dai Rees a farewell to remember as they attempt to defend their Asian crown by winning the final leg of the HSBC Asian Sevens Series in Singapore this weekend.

Livewire forward Anthony Haynes could not have timed his return from injury better with Hong Kong travelling to Singapore this weekend for the fourth and final leg of the HSBC Asian Sevens Series with the crown hanging precariously in the balance.

Fears that Hong Kong would lose lethal weapon Tom McQueen for the final leg of the HSBC Asian Sevens Series in Singapore in November abated after a troubling shoulder injury cleared up sufficiently for the winger to put off indefinitely an operation that was scheduled for late October.

Jamie Hood’s decision to take a penalty drop goal in the final against Japan at the India Sevens might be more crucial than initially thought.

It was at the historic 138-year-old Bombay Gymkhana that Hong Kong enjoyed their finest moment in sevens rugby last year when they were crowned Asian champions after beating Japan in the Cup final. Hong Kong will be hoping that’s a good omen as they try to hang on to their crown at the same venue on Sunday.

A hurting Hong Kong will need to create their own luck if they are to keep their title hopes alive at the HSBC Asian Sevens Series, said head coach Dai Rees on the eve of the India Sevens in Mumbai.

The honeymoon has been put on hold for newly married Kwok Ka-chun as he gets ready for Hong Kong's push to protect their Asian crown this weekend at the India Sevens.

Hong Kong's shaky hold on its sevens crown will face a severe test at home on Saturday before the third leg of the HSBC Asian Sevens Series gets under way in Mumbai, India, next weekend.

Japan's new sensation Lomano Lemeki broke Hong Kong hearts for the second successive time at the HSBC Asian Sevens Series when he scored in sudden-death extra-time to give the Brave Blossoms a spine-tingling, 17-12 victory in the Cup final in Thailand.

The heat is on Jamie Hood and his side at the second leg of the HSBC Asian Sevens Series in Thailand this weekend with the International Rugby Board declaring that only the top two teams at the end of the four-leg series will qualify to play in the Hong Kong Sevens next March.

Hong Kong will be back to full strength for the second leg of the HSBC Asian Sevens Series in Thailand this weekend but Rowan Varty will relinquish the captaincy to Jamie Hood as he focuses on earning his stripes as a lawyer.

The hunt for a back three that could spark Hong Kong's 2015 World Cup chances begins in earnest next month in Dubai when the coaching brains' trust looks at a new pool of players at the Emirates Airlines Cup of Nations.

Top International Rugby Board official Bernard Lapasset expressed dismay at China's failure to qualify for the Rugby World Cup Sevens in Moscow and promised to support the mainland as they look ahead to the 2016 Olympics, when sevens will be a medal sport for the first time.

To Russia with love - that's where Hong Kong are heading after they qualified for next year's Rugby World Cup Sevens by finishing in the top three in the fourth and final leg of the HSBC Asian Sevens Series.

Hong Kong are one win away from booking their passage to Moscow for next year's Rugby World Cup Sevens after the Rowan Varty-led side swept aside all opponents to march into the semi-finals of the HSBC Asian Sevens Series in Singapore yesterday.

Welshman Harry Morris is brimming with confidence that his adopted country, the Philippines, will knock Hong Kong off their high perch when the fourth and final leg of the HSBC Asian Sevens Series starts in Singapore today.

Hong Kong have named an unchanged squad from that which were crowned Asian sevens champions a fortnight ago for their final, and biggest push this season: this week's Asian qualifiers in Singapore for the Rugby World Cup Sevens in Moscow in June.

Captain Rowan Varty has warned his high-flying teammates to be on guard after Hong Kong, the new Asian champions, were drawn in the preliminary round with the Philippines, who could field a side of their Japan-based professionals at next week's Singapore Sevens.

China's Olympic dream has suffered a huge setback with confirmation they will miss next year's Hong Kong Sevens after failing to finish in the top three in the overall rankings at the HSBC Asian Sevens Series.

The ghosts of many sevens finals past were laid to rest as Hong Kong exorcised their demons with a superb 28-7 victory over Japan in yesterday's final of the Mumbai Sevens to be crowned Asian champions for the first time in their history.

The maxim that attack is the best form of defence was turned on its head by Hong Kong who showed the best way to win at rugby sevens is to defend strongly.

Rugby playmaker Jamie Hood will face one of the biggest moments in his fledgling career as he attempts to marshall Hong Kong to a second successive victory at the Mumbai Sevens, the third and final ranking leg at the HSBC Asian Sevens Series this weekend.

Playmaker Jamie Hood stepped out of the slipstream of aspiring pilot Keith Robertson as he engineered Hong Kong's march to Cup glory at the Shanghai Sevens yesterday. It was Hong Kong's first ranking title in two years on the Asian circuit.

Hong Kong are on track to win their first tournament in the HSBC Asian Sevens Series this season as they swept commandingly to a semi-final berth in the Shanghai Sevens yesterday.