World Rugby U20 Trophy: Hong Kong coach hails side’s ‘massive growth’ after narrow loss to Samoa
- Hong Kong fall 30-27 in second game of World Rugby U20 Trophy in Kenya as two late tries deny Logan Asplin’s side famous win
- Asplin says ‘little moments’ towards end of game cost Hong Kong as 14-man Samoa recover from indiscipline
Hong Kong coach Logan Asplin hailed his side’s “massive growth” after they came within a whisker of beating Samoa in the World Rugby U20 Trophy before losing 30-27.
Only two tries from captain John Mata Samuelu and replacement prop Robert Jnr Robertson in the final 10 minutes denied the city’s side a famous win against the Pacific Islanders, who were almost undone by their own indiscipline in Kenya.
Samoa were reduced to 12 men at the start of the second half following a succession of yellow cards, and finished with 14 players on the pitch after wing Paul Stanley was sent off for kicking out as he gathered a high ball.
Hong Kong Sevens to return as part of revamped party circuit
Hong Kong’s performance on Thursday was a far cry from the 53-0 hammering they took at the hands of Spain in their opening game at the Nyayo National Stadium in Nairobi.
“If we look back at the post-game against Spain compared to now, the growth in our group is massive,” Asplin said. “The performance today, the execution of the game plan for most of it, was bang spot on. It was just a couple of late little moments and big momentum shifts that in the end went their way.
“So, I’m proud 100 per cent and we had to go through a bit of adversity, as both teams did with players on and off and cards. We just didn’t win some little moments that really mattered.”
Samoa started day two having never lost in the pool stages of an U20 Trophy, and it took them less than nine minutes to take the lead.
Exciting fly-half Afa Moleli carved a line through the Hong Kong defence to start a move that ended with Maoaluma Pasa dotting down.
Kept scoreless in their opening match, Hong Kong’s backs posed more of a threat this time around, and full-back Dylan McCann made the most of some good work by Joe Denmark and Max Threlkeld to grab his side’s first score of the tournament.
McCann missed the extras but slotted over a penalty moments later to put his side 8-5 up, a lead they held until half-time, with events either side of the break seeming to tip the game in Hong Kong’s favour.
Samoa hooker Alex Lui was shown a yellow card in the 36th minute having brought down a Hong Kong maul illegally as it rumbled towards the try line, and within 20 seconds of the restart Samoa lost another player to the sin-bin as Royce Billy Jnr Umutaua tackled Fritz Mahn in the air.
Hong Kong took advantage and edge 15-5 ahead, with McCann converting Denmark’s try, but with players returning Samoa levelled through a Moleli penalty and Christopher Afamasaga score.
Stanley’s dismissal slowed that charge and Hong Kong added a third try through replacement hooker Takuma Yamauchi following a powerful lineout drive. McCann again added the extras to leave Samoa 22-15 behind.
That’s how it stayed until the final 10 minutes, when Samoa finally adjusted to being a man short, and Samuelu and Robertson struck either side of Moeli drop goal to put their side back in front.
There was still time for Hong Kong to score a fourth try, through Threkeld, to ensure they finished the day with two match points – but not the famous win they had dreamed of.
Asplin said he thought his side had done enough to win, but admitted Hong Kong had been unable to slow Samoa’s momentum at the end, adding his side were “just not quite good enough to ice the game at the end”.
“So, yeah, disappointed and I think our players will be disappointed because they had a chance to really tip over a big rugby nation today,” he added.
