Hong Kong will get another chance to see if they can really rub shoulders with the second-tier nations in the IRB Sevens when they come up against Argentina in the Bowl quarter-finals at the Adelaide Sevens, the sixth leg of the series, today.
The young Hong Kong team lost all their pool matches on the opening day yesterday - going down 45-0 to hosts Australia, hammered 61-5 by New Zealand and then 24-15 to Wales - to finish in the Bowl competition in the 16-team tournament.
Hong Kong trailed 10-12 to Wales at half-time thanks to tries from skipper Nigel D'Acre and Ricky Cheuk Ming-yin. Justin Gregory scored in the second half as Hong Kong trailed 15-19, but then Wales capitalised on a turnover ball to put the match beyond doubt in the final minute.
'We really played well and should have beaten them. It was once again a case of missed opportunities,' said Ivan Torpey, Hong Kong Rugby Football Union's head of performance.
First-up at the Adelaide Oval this morning will be Argentina, who narrowly beat Hong Kong 19-12 in the pool competition at the Hong Kong Sevens last weekend.
'This is an opportunity to avenge our loss to them last weekend. We began slowly today, but got better as the day went along, especially against Wales. We will have to come out storming tomorrow,' added Torpey.