Is Hong Kong captain Roger Patterson a passenger in the side? This was the question raised after the team to play the United States was named yesterday.
Patterson will start the United States game on the bench, raising doubts over the fitness of the Hong Kong captain who has now been sidelined for the entire tour.
Despite being declared fit, Patterson will be a reserve as Hong Kong take on the United States on Sunday (Hong Kong time) in their final game on the North American road trip.
Patterson did not play against Canada last Saturday following an accident while training in the resort town of Whistler, where he suffered a hairline fracture of the cheekbone.
Yesterday, team officials said he was fit to play, but still felt he should be benched.
'He is fit. But in view of the excellent game the second row and the forwards had against Canada, we have decided to stick to the same pack. Roger will start on the bench,' said Hong Kong manager Bill Harris.
'It was unfortunate that Roger got injured at the start of the tour. At the time, it was said that he would be fit in 10 days' time. He is fit now, but the other players took their chances and we have decided to stick to the same set of forwards,' said Harris.
