https://www.scmp.com/rss/313312/feed The annual Junior World Rugby Trophy involves eight representative teams from World Rugby’s structure of second-tier national under-20s sides. The winners of the tournament – which in 2014 was played in Asia for the first time, in Hong Kong – are promoted to the top-tier Junior World Championship for the following year. en https://assets.i-scmp.com/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www.scmp.com The local rugby community has been and continues to be spoiled by a succession of international competitions being hosted here in Hong Kong. The annual festival of Sevens week in late March was followed by the IRB Junior World Rugby Trophy (JWRT), which featured eight international under-20 teams playing some of the most passionate and engrossing games witnessed here for many a year. We are now midway through the Asian Five Nations competition, which doubles as the region’s World Cup qualifier,... https://www.scmp.com/sport/rugby/article/1504952/after-final-whistle-legacy-game-begins?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/rugby/article/1504952/after-final-whistle-legacy-game-begins?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 05 May 2014 06:45:30 +0000 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... https://www.scmp.com/sport/rugby/article/1497198/japans-generation-2019-show-hong-kong-way-forward?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/rugby/article/1497198/japans-generation-2019-show-hong-kong-way-forward?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 25 Apr 2014 14:30:45 +0000 Feisty under-20 fullback Hugo Stiles will be pushing for a place in the Hong Kong senior team who face an intense start to their 2015 World Cup qualifying campaign when they meet the Philippines in the opener of the Asian Five Nations Top Five tournament at home on Saturday. Stiles is one of several members of the Hong Kong squad who played at the just-concluded IRB Junior World Rugby Trophy who have caught the eye of Dai Rees, and the teenager will be in contention after the opening game... https://www.scmp.com/sport/rugby/article/1493761/teenager-hugo-stiles-looking-earn-first-senior-cap-hong-kong?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/rugby/article/1493761/teenager-hugo-stiles-looking-earn-first-senior-cap-hong-kong?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 21 Apr 2014 15:30:30 +0000 Hong Kong squandered a golden opportunity to make a mark at the IRB Junior World Rugby Trophy when they lost 33-30 to 14-man Canada to finish winless and last in the eight-team competition at Hong Kong Football Club. But there is a silver lining. Several of the under-20 squad put their hands up for future representation in the senior team. Among them were Alexander Post and Zac Cinnamond, both front-row forwards - an area which Hong Kong always have a manpower dearth - as well as skipper Michael... https://www.scmp.com/sport/rugby/fifteens/article/1489973/under-20s-grow-stature-despite-heartbreaking-loss?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/rugby/fifteens/article/1489973/under-20s-grow-stature-despite-heartbreaking-loss?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 19 Apr 2014 15:30:30 +0000 One statistic highlights the progress made by Hong Kong at the IRB Junior World Rugby Trophy as they prepare to face Canada on Saturday in the battle for the crumbs in the eight-team tournament. Hong Kong missed 31 tackles against Tonga, but only 13 against Georgia and the results were plain to see – having led Georgia 8-7 at one stage, Hong Kong conceded two late tries to end on the wrong side of a 21-8 result. Another marked improvement against Canada in the seventh-place play-off at Hong Kong... https://www.scmp.com/sport/rugby/fifteens/article/1487489/hong-kong-u20s-hope-go-out-high?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/rugby/fifteens/article/1487489/hong-kong-u20s-hope-go-out-high?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 18 Apr 2014 15:00:30 +0000 Only one team remain unbeaten in the IRB Junior World Rugby Trophy (JWRT) and it isn’t Japan or Tonga, who contest Saturday’s final. It is Uruguay, whose performances over the past two weeks will have set off alarm bells among Hong Kong’s senior team management. The South Americans entered the competition seeded sixth and were expected to be also-rans in a pool which included Canada (second seeds), Japan (third) and Namibia (seventh). But Uruguay showed they are an all-round fine product,... https://www.scmp.com/sport/rugby/article/1486102/unbeaten-uruguay-pose-serious-world-cup-worry-hong-kong?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/rugby/article/1486102/unbeaten-uruguay-pose-serious-world-cup-worry-hong-kong?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 17 Apr 2014 11:45:45 +0000 For one sweet moment, Hong Kong led for the first time in the IRB Junior World Rugby Trophy when, in their final pool A match against Georgia on Tuesday, they had their noses in front 8-7. The under-20 team had come far in the space of a week but they had to accept that they are still some way behind the rest of the teams in the eight-team tournament. It showed as they ended with their third successive loss, going down 21-8 to the Europeans at Hong Kong Football Club. Georgia, seeded fifth and... https://www.scmp.com/sport/rugby/fifteens/article/1483187/another-loss-progress-hong-kong?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/rugby/fifteens/article/1483187/another-loss-progress-hong-kong?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 15 Apr 2014 14:30:45 +0000 Underperforming Hong Kong have been told to "stand up and deliver" when they meet Georgia in their final pool A match in the IRB Junior World Rugby Trophy at Hong Kong Football Club on Tuesday. The Hong Kong management has made sure Georgia have been on the minds of skipper Michael Parfitt and his team as they licked their wounds after two losses - against the United States (37-0) and Tonga (39-16) - in the opening week of the under-20 eight-team competition, where the winners qualify for the... https://www.scmp.com/sport/rugby/article/1482419/hong-kong-must-stand-and-deliver-says-coach-pale-tauti?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/rugby/article/1482419/hong-kong-must-stand-and-deliver-says-coach-pale-tauti?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 14 Apr 2014 14:00:00 +0000 Hong Kong survived a physically gruelling test from Tonga's tough combatants in the IRB Junior World Rugby Trophy, but the result would have caused plenty of inner heartache on Friday night. The 39-16 scoreline might indicate it was another big loss, and indeed the five tries the Pacific islanders put past the home team supports that conclusion. Yet Hong Kong can be proud of another gutsy performance against the kind of opposition they rarely come up against at this under-20 age-group level. The... https://www.scmp.com/sport/rugby/fifteens/article/1476864/gutsy-hong-kong-fall-physical-tongans?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/rugby/fifteens/article/1476864/gutsy-hong-kong-fall-physical-tongans?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 11 Apr 2014 14:30:15 +0000 If the IRB Junior World Rugby Trophy is supposed to be a harbinger for the future, then the two Asian sides in the competition – Hong Kong and Japan – have worries they must confront. The home team does not have a single player of local Chinese origin in the squad and this bodes ill for the game’s development. The first question is why aren’t the local players good enough? If this same question had been raised 10 or 15 years ago, one could safely have answered it takes time for them to come... https://www.scmp.com/sport/rugby/article/1475703/where-are-local-chinese-players-future?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/rugby/article/1475703/where-are-local-chinese-players-future?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 11 Apr 2014 04:03:37 +0000 Flanker Sebastian Brien will be one of four changes in the starting line-up for Hong Kong and his orders will be to close down the ‘flashy’ game which opponents Tonga will bring in their second outing at the IRB Junior World Rugby Trophy on Friday. Brien will replace Raef Morrison, who will start on the bench, as Hong Kong opt to rotate their squad. The loose forward has been charged with heavy tackle duty in a bid to try to stop Tonga's wide-ranging game. "Tonga are a quality team who will... https://www.scmp.com/sport/rugby/fifteens/article/1474277/hong-kong-aim-shut-down-flashy-tongan-game?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/rugby/fifteens/article/1474277/hong-kong-aim-shut-down-flashy-tongan-game?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 10 Apr 2014 13:45:30 +0000 It was inevitable, almost like waiting for the tide to come in. Brave Hong Kong tried to delay the expected, but in the end they were swept aside by the United States who opened their IRB Junior World Trophy campaign with a 37-0 victory at Hong Kong Football Club on Monday night. There were shock results earlier in the opening round of games in the eight-team under-20 competition - where the winner will earn the right to join the big boys in the IRB Junior World Championship in Italy next year -... https://www.scmp.com/sport/rugby/article/1467699/hong-kong-find-going-tough-junior-world-trophy?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/rugby/article/1467699/hong-kong-find-going-tough-junior-world-trophy?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 07 Apr 2014 14:30:45 +0000 With their hearts set on returning to the top-tier competition, the United States will be going all out to make a statement in their opening game of the IRB Junior World Rugby Trophy (JWRT) against hosts Hong Kong on Monday. The US crashed out of the last IRB Junior World Championship - the tournament for the world's elite juniors - in France and are keen to regain their spot among the big boys next year when the under-20 age-group competition is held in Italy. US skipper Ollie Drew stressed the... https://www.scmp.com/sport/rugby/article/1466482/us-keen-make-their-mark-junior-world-trophy?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/rugby/article/1466482/us-keen-make-their-mark-junior-world-trophy?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 06 Apr 2014 14:15:30 +0000 Hong Kong's next generation of players will get an early chance to impress selectors at the IRB Junior World Rugby Trophy (JWRT), to be staged for the first time in Asia – at the Hong Kong Football Club from Monday. "We will be keeping an eye on them and if any of the boys catch the eye, no doubt we will be pulling them in [for the Asian Five Nations]," said Dai Rees, the Hong Kong Rugby Football Union's head of technical development and performance. The Asian Five Nations Top Five competition... https://www.scmp.com/sport/rugby/fifteens/article/1465946/hong-kong-junior-players-vie-places-asian-five-nations-squad?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/rugby/fifteens/article/1465946/hong-kong-junior-players-vie-places-asian-five-nations-squad?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 05 Apr 2014 15:45:45 +0000 Monday, April 7 Group Time Home Score Away B 13:00 Japan 28-33 Uruguay B 15:00 Canada 25-37 Namibia A 17:00 Tonga 10-34 Georgia A 19:00 USA 37-0 Hong Kong Friday, April... https://www.scmp.com/sport/rugby/fifteens/article/1465719/irb-junior-world-rugby-trophy-results?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/rugby/fifteens/article/1465719/irb-junior-world-rugby-trophy-results?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 05 Apr 2014 13:00:00 +0000 Top seeds United States and Canada will lead the challenge for IRB Junior World Rugby Trophy (JWRT) honours in Hong Kong next week when the futures stars of world rugby compete for promotion to the 2015 IRB Junior World Championship (JWC) in Italy. The JWRT tournament, which is being staged in Asia for the first time, kicks off at Hong Kong Football Club on Monday (April 7) with under-20s teams from seven international unions – Canada, Georgia, Japan, Namibia, Tonga, USA and Uruguay – joining... https://www.scmp.com/sport/rugby/fifteens/article/1464044/usa-canada-set-sights-promotion-junior-world-championship?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/rugby/fifteens/article/1464044/usa-canada-set-sights-promotion-junior-world-championship?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 03 Apr 2014 13:00:30 +0000 When Hong Kong’s U20s take on some of the future stars of the game next month in the IRB Junior World Rugby Trophy, they will be able to draw inspiration from one of their own who is about to make his Hong Kong Sevens debut. Raef Morrison, who has been named in the Hong Kong men’s sevens squad for this weekend, has been an influential member of the U20s representative squad and was involved in the senior sevens side that competed in the Zimbabwe Sevens last weekend. The Hong Kong Football Club... https://www.scmp.com/sport/rugby/article/1456369/hong-kong-u20s-ready-mix-it-worlds-best?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/rugby/article/1456369/hong-kong-u20s-ready-mix-it-worlds-best?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 24 Mar 2014 12:45:45 +0000 The future stars of the game from eight international unions – Canada, Georgia, Hong Kong, Japan, Namibia, Tonga, United States and Uruguay – will come together in Hong Kong next April for the seventh IRB Junior World Rugby Trophy. It is the first time it has been staged in Asia. The US and Canada are the top seeds in the tournament and head pools A and B respectively. Fourth seeds Tonga, fifth seeds Georgia and hosts Hong Kong (eighth seeds) round out pool A, while pool B sees third seeds... https://www.scmp.com/sport/rugby/article/1377345/hong-kong-drawn-top-seeds-us-junior-world-trophy?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/rugby/article/1377345/hong-kong-drawn-top-seeds-us-junior-world-trophy?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 10 Dec 2013 04:30:30 +0000 Hong Kong will host the stars of tomorrow at the IRB Junior World Trophy in 2014. The International Rugby Board has awarded the tournament to Asia for the first time with Hong Kong, which enjoys a strong reputation as an international rugby destination, getting a further boost. Hong Kong Rugby Football Union chairman Trevor Gregory said: 'By completing the competitive tender process and with two full years to prepare, we are confident we can put on a wonderful festival of rugby in a country... https://www.scmp.com/sport/rugby/fifteens/article/1006821/hong-kong-host-irb-junior-tournament-2014?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/rugby/fifteens/article/1006821/hong-kong-host-irb-junior-tournament-2014?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 14 Jul 2012 16:00:00 +0000 It will be a poignant moment when Jack Capon leads Hong Kong out for their opening game against Thailand in the under-20 Asian championship at Hong Kong Football Club this evening. Skipper and No8 Capon, and at least nine other players in the squad, were part of the team who took part in last year's tournament in Bangkok, where tragedy struck Hong Kong flyhalf Ben Kende, who was left paralysed after an accident on the field. Kende is now undergoing rehabilitation in Australia and will be... https://www.scmp.com/sport/rugby/fifteens/article/971770/poignant-moment-championship-opens?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/rugby/fifteens/article/971770/poignant-moment-championship-opens?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 25 Jun 2011 16:00:00 +0000 Hong Kong's task of qualifying for the IRB Junior World Trophy next year has been made harder with Asian champions Japan favourites to book the one spot available from the ARFU U20s Asian Championships which kick off at Hong Kong Football Club on Sunday. Japan's failure to qualify for the top tier IRB World Championships next year has meant only the winner of the four-team competition will progress to the second-tier event in 2012. Japan's 31-24 loss to Samoa earlier this month in the final of... https://www.scmp.com/sport/rugby/fifteens/article/971568/japan-pose-tough-task-hong-kong-u20s?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/rugby/fifteens/article/971568/japan-pose-tough-task-hong-kong-u20s?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 23 Jun 2011 16:00:00 +0000 Hong Kong begin their title defence against Malaysia at the Asian junior championships in Bangkok today. The 24-strong under-20 players, who left yesterday, are confident of retaining the title, but they know it will not be easy. Japan, the Asian powerhouses, are likely to present a formidable challenge in the latter stages of the eight-team tournament. Head coach Joe Shaw said: 'We won it last year; it proves we can make it. But it will be a tough tournament; as long as the team ... show strong... https://www.scmp.com/sport/rugby/fifteens/article/722787/hong-kong-begin-asian-junior-title-defence?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/rugby/fifteens/article/722787/hong-kong-begin-asian-junior-title-defence?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 21 Aug 2010 16:00:00 +0000 Valley RFC centre Ed Rolston (pictured) will lead the Hong Kong under-20 side against Malaysia today as Asia's premier sides contest the Olympus Capital Asian Rugby Junior Championship at the Football Club. Rolston made his debut at this year's Hong Kong Sevens and was capped in Hong Kong's senior XV for the Asian Five Nations. Other teams are South Korea, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Singapore and Taiwan. The tournament will continue on Wednesday with the finals next Saturday. https://www.scmp.com/sport/rugby/fifteens/article/691556/rolston-lead-hong-kong-u20s-team?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/rugby/fifteens/article/691556/rolston-lead-hong-kong-u20s-team?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 04 Sep 2009 16:00:00 +0000 Hong Kong has agreed to host the eight-team Under-20 Asian Championships in September even though nothing is at stake due to the world governing body downsizing next year's Under-20 World Cup because of the financial downturn. In previous years, the regional qualifiers decided which team would move on to the Junior World Trophy with the winners of this tournament qualifying for the World Cup. But the credit crunch has forced the International Rugby Board to cut back on the number of teams taking... https://www.scmp.com/sport/rugby/fifteens/article/685077/irb-downgrades-asian-junior-event?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/rugby/fifteens/article/685077/irb-downgrades-asian-junior-event?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 27 Jun 2009 16:00:00 +0000