HONG KONG'S dreams of going to the World Cup next year were shattered last night at a wet Cheras Stadium as South Korea scored a magnificent 28-17 victory in their opening Pool B game at the 14th Asian Rugby Football Tournament. Trailing 10-14 at half-time, the Koreans lifted their game a notch to add a further 18 points in the face of some determined play by Hong Kong. But mere determination was insufficient to overcome a team playing for national pride, flag, and country - and with revenge on their minds.
Yesterday's victory avenged their 20-13 loss to Hong Kong at the last ARFT two years ago in front of their home crowd. With visions of World Cup glory dismissed, the Hong Kong team sat in shocked silence. Skipper Stuart Krohn was in tears. The rest of the side sat numbly, bewildered by the fact that despite playing their hearts out, they had lost. At the end of the day, the better side won. South Korea scored three tries to Hong Kong's solitary try which flanker John Dingley touched down in the fifth minute.
Two of the Korean tries were the result of lightning-quick counter-attacks from broken play. Hong Kong coach George Simpkin admitted that the difference between the two sides was the ability of the Koreans to create something out of nothing. The Korean forwards were more than competitive, especially in the scrums (which were rock solid), and in the loose. Hong Kong dominated the lineouts, but failed to secure clean possession, with the wet conditions making the ball resemble a bar of soap.
Hong Kong got an early boost with Dingley's try. A scrum 35 metres from the Korean line saw fly-half Vaughan Going make a powerful run, pass inside to flanker Rick Shuttleworth who sent Dingley on his way. Dingley covered 15 metres and beat two defenders to score by the corner flag. That try went unconverted. But kicker Neil Munn put over three penalties to give Hong Kong a morale-boosting 14-10 lead at the break.
The Koreans had scored their points from a converted try and a penalty. Those points resulted from basic errors by Hong Kong. The first came when Shuttleworth was penalised for being offside, standing off a short lineout. Korean fly-half Song Young-soo, who has a superb boot, had no problem with the penalty. The try to Korea in the first half was the result of Going failing to find touch. The Korean backs ran the ball from their end of the field to score a scintillating try under the posts. Hong Kong trailed 8-10. But two more penalties by Munn saw Hong Kong take the lead, and they hung on to it grimly.
It was a lead that was short-lived as soon after resumption, the Koreans went on the offensive. They cut the deficit with a gift penalty when Hong Kong collapsed the scrum in front of their posts. Then another flowing counter-attack from inside the Korean 22 saw them score a try which seemed to crush Hong Kong's spirits.
