Japan’s ‘Generation 2019’ show Hong Kong the way forward

Japan clinching the IRB Junior World Rugby Trophy (JWRT) last Saturday was welcome news for Hong Kong on a number of fronts.

Firstly, it has shown us that anything is possible and that Hong Kong, too, can aspire to play in this competition on merit and, who knows, even qualify for the Junior World Championship one day.

Playing “on merit” equates to qualifying for this second-tier world event. This time Hong Kong were part of the eight-team tournament because we were the hosts. To earn a place in the tournament next year Hong Kong would need to win the Asian Under-19 Championship in August – which has been made easier now that Japan will not be taking part.

If Japan choose to defend their title and if they were successful – and I suppose they will (defend) and probably would be (successful) – it would mean the second-placed team would automatically qualify for next year’s JWRT because Japan will be playing in the Junior World Championship in Italy.

This will be the first time back in the top echelon since 2009 for Japan and they fully deserve to be heading to Rome with their brand of sizzling rugby coming alive after their early loss to Uruguay.

Once Japan had addressed their problems at the breakdown and scrum, after losing 33-28 to the entertaining South Americans, they were unstoppable.

After Japan had demolished Tonga 35-10 in the final, proud coach Keisuke Sawaki, a former national fly-half, called for the Japan Rugby Football Union to give this team more opportunities. “We must put more focus on this squad,” he said.

And he is absolutely right. This Japan team has already been dubbed “Generation 2019” and, undoubtedly, a fair number of them will be around when Japan hosts that year’s World Cup.

This is only the start, but the future looks rosy for Japan whose senior team under Eddie Jones aims to enter the world’s top-10 in the next couple of years.

Japan are ranked 13th in the world, with Fiji (11th) and Tonga (12th) ahead of them. But with Japan’s resources and financial clout, I would be surprised if the two Pacific island teams were not overhauled soon. That would leave Scotland in 10th looking warily over their shoulder.

If this Generation 2019 holds promise for Japan, then the same cannot be said for Hong Kong (ranked 26th) although there were a few outstanding performances among the home team – notably fullback Hugo Stiles, hooker Alexander Post, skipper and lock Michael Parfitt, back-rowers Mike Coverdale and Chris Maize, and front-rower Zac Cinnamond.

Hong Kong matured as the tournament progressed and they will be kicking themselves that they couldn’t finish with the big scalp of Canada hanging from their belts. To let slip a 21-7 lead going into the break and then surrender a 30-19 advantage entering the last quarter, speaks volumes.

Coach Pale Tauti nailed it when he said the team didn’t play “smart” rugby.

It was interesting to watch how pressure can affect your game. When Canada went ahead 33-30 five minutes from the end, we saw two dropped passes at crucial moments while Kevin Field, who had missed only one of eight kicks all day, hooked a touchline penalty which would have allowed Hong Kong to draw level.

Yet it was a good experience for Hong Kong, as sevens star Alex McQueen observed on the final day. “I wish we had the chance to play in this tournament when we were younger,” he said.

There are indeed more opportunities now, but it would also be good for Hong Kong to unearth more young Chinese players – our Generation 2019 or, if that is too ambitious, our Generation 2023.

In August, many of these players will front up again and try to win the Asian Championship. But they will have to beware of South Korea and, possibly, Sri Lanka – both potential obstacles in Hong Kong’s bid to book a berth in next year’s JWRT.

However, now that we have a taste of the competition, and the opposition, we must strive to be involved every year – for this is an excellent grooming ground for the future.