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Alvin Sallay

The wheel of life has turned a full circle for Gary Cross, the territory's first professional coach who will be dedicated full-time to fledgling First Division side DeA next season.

  Cross, who came to Hong Kong back in 1988 as a soldier with the Duke of Edinburgh's Royal Regiment, left Her Majesty's Forces because of rugby, staying on in the territory to pursue his playing career.

  Last month he gave up a well-paid job at Jardines, once again because of rugby.

  This time to pursue his life-long ambition of becoming a top-class coach and the irony is that he has joined a club who carry the name of his former regiment.

  'It is funny how things get back at you.

  'I thought I had left the Duke of Edinburgh's a long time ago. Now I join a club which is known as the Duke of Edinburgh's Award scheme,' said Cross, who is keenly looking forward to the challenge of coaching DeA.

  Yesterday Cross left for Wales to undergo an operation on his back and for a family reunion.

  He is scheduled to return to the territory on May 19, before leaving for Tonga on a fishing trip. From there he goes on to New Zealand - on business.

  'I will be talking to some players in New Zealand. There is a famine of really big props and big second-rowers in Hong Kong. Obviously this is an issue we will be addressing,' said Cross, the 'we' referring to DeA directors Chris Meads and Trevor Gregory.

  Cross says that everything is tentative at the moment with DeA. Nothing has been signed, only a gentlemen's agreement.

  'When I get back on May 19, I will sit down and talk with Chris [Meads]. I will know exactly where I stand then. But I'm taking this challenge seriously,' said Cross.

  On Monday night, Meads and Gregory, confirmed that Cross would become a full-time coach with DeA, once the club had become a company. This would give them the leeway to employ people, including players.

  High on Cross' shopping list will be forwards from New Zealand. But the former Hong Kong international stressed that Chinese players would not be ignored.

  'We will always play some Chinese players in the First Division side. It is quite important that we get the message across to the Chinese in DeA that we are not here to take over their club.

  'We want to form a strong First Division side which will include Chinese players and also field a strong team in the Second Division,' explained Cross.

   'We will be giving the better Chinese a chance to play consistently at a higher level,' he added.

  With his playing career apparently over after a Frenchman up-ended him on his back at this year's Hong Kong Sevens, Cross is now dedicating himself to becoming a top-quality coach.

  'I have lost all feeling in my left thigh,' said Cross, who returned into the Hong Kong frame this season after a three-year break due to a previous injury. 'I will get something done on my back before I return from Wales.'   In the meantime he has given up his job as a quality control manager in a Jardines company to become a full-time, paid coach.

  'I will be worse off financially in the long run. The best thing I could have done was to have stayed in the Army . . . I would have been a sergeant-major now.

  'But I'm thrilled about the prospect of coaching DeA. I want to put out a good side so that we can beat Valley. There is nothing vindictive to it. I just want to be competitive.'   And his long-term goal? 'Maybe one day to coach Wales. All this is a learning curve for me.' 



Irony in decision by Cross to coach