Going to leave town after Union move clouds future
The trickle is slowly turning into a flood. On the heels of Duane Davis' announcement that he would be leaving Hong Kong next month, comes news that another senior Hong Kong player will follow suit and leave before next year's all-important Asian Rugby Football Tournament.
Hong Kong's leading fullback Vaughan Going said yesterday that he would be leaving for England by mid-1998 - to get married and probably play club rugby.
Apart from tying the knot to long-time girlfriend Amanda, Going said the uncertainty surrounding the fate of elite players in Hong Kong had gone a long way to sealing his decision to leave the SAR.
'Nothing much is happening in Hong Kong and the Union has done nothing to help the senior players out . . . I feel they took a step backwards when they came out and refused to help the clubs,' said Going.
The impending departure of Going and Davis - two key players who are eligible to represent Hong Kong at any International Rugby Board tournament - will be a huge blow to the senior team's competitiveness at the Asian tournament in Singapore in October.
In their policy statement, the Union stated that winning the Asian tournament was the main objective. Next year's Asian competition is also a qualifying tournament for the 1999 World Cup.
While both Going and Davis have personal reasons for leaving, they are quick to add that the current feeling of neglect brought about by the Union's lukewarm response to the First Division clubs' proposals regarding professionalism, has played a part in their decisions.
Aberdeen No 8 Davis had said earlier: 'We [the senior players] came prepared to give a long-term commitment to Hong Kong, but now we are uncertain of what our future here is.' Davis will leave next month to play rugby for the Golden Gate club in San Francisco.
Going, who has lived in Hong Kong for the past five years, said he was in touch with some English clubs and the prospect of playing was good.
