Rugby union wins access to Hong Kong Sports Institute
Elite status at SI means members of the city's squad can look forward to competing against world's best on an almost equal footing
"The sky's the limit" for Hong Kong who will be able to keep pace with professional teams on the international stage, say leading officials after the Hong Kong Sports Institute opened its doors to rugby sevens.
The entry of the only team sport at the elite training academy - there are 15 other disciplines from athletics to wushu - was welcomed by the Hong Kong Rugby Football Union, which called it a historic moment for the sport.
It will now have access to government funds for the next four years, with about HK$5 million available annually for athletes only.
"We have come a long way and this is the icing on the cake," said delighted Hong Kong Rugby Football Union chairman Trevor Gregory. "It is a fantastic achievement to become the only team sport at elite level. The sky is the limit for us now."
We have come a long way and this is the icing on the cake. It is a fantastic achievement to become the only team sport at elite level. The sky is the limit for us now
HKRFU head of performance and national coach Dai Rees added: "This is a historic moment for the game in Hong Kong. We can now offer an opportunity to promising players to become full-time professional athletes, which will help us keep pace with other professional teams in Asia like Japan, as well as with sevens teams on the international stage, more and more of whom are contracting players on a full-time basis."