THE Hongkong Dragons embark on a two-week tour of Malaysia and Singapore today with success, not experience, their main goal.
Team manager and development officer Chiu Kwok-kwong said the 25-man squad is the strongest Dragons side assembled since the development of Chinese players started five years ago.
And in the three years they have been touring, the Dragons' development has progressed to the stage where they will play a national side for the first time, when they take on Singapore on April 9.
Said Chiu: ''Before we were looking to gain experience from the tours, now we are looking to win all our matches.'' Police forward Peter Curlewis was forced to pull out of the squad with a knee injury while Marco Sze, Anthony Law and Eddie Lou are also carrying injuries.
Valley lock Tom Hall misses tomorrow's match against RMAF Blackhawks because of work commitments.
The side will take part in the weekend's Jonah Jones Sevens competition They conclude the Malaysia leg of their tour with a game against the national under-23 team on Tuesday.
