All Black great Murray Mexted brings academy team to the Tens
If you’re good enough you’re old enough, they say, and at this year’s GFI Hong Kong Football Club Tens an exciting young side from New Zealand plan to prove it.
If you’re good enough you’re old enough, they say, and at this year’s GFI Hong Kong Football Club Tens an exciting young side from New Zealand plan to prove it.
The International Rugby Academy of New Zealand (Iranz) team make their debut at Hong Kong Football Club (march 26-27) and nothing less than winning the tournament is on their mind.
Founded and managed by former All Black Murray Mexted, the academy is an offshoot of his acclaimed Iranz and South African programmes. The side will consist mainly of New Zealand’s most promising young players, including players from the Crusaders, Blues and Hurricanes Super 15 teams, as well as ITM Cup and regional emerging players.
We have a team full of talented young men who have graduated from the national academy. They are all ambitious and want to do well
The squad will be strengthened further by players from Mexted’s South African academy, which he established in 2009.
And former Springbok and sevens star Brent Russell will double as player/coach for the side. Russell was player of the tournament at the 2002 Hong Kong Sevens and made his debut for the Springboks three months later. He played 23 times for South Africa.
Mexted expects his team to be very competitive in Hong Kong.
“We have a team full of talented young men who have graduated from the national academy. They are all ambitious and want to do well,” Mexted said. “We’ve got a broad representation of players from the provinces in New Zealand.”
Last year Mexted decided to take a team to the Manila Tens to give his players international experience and to help the development of rugby in southeast Asia. The Iranz side duly won the competition and soon they were receiving invitations to other events like the Hong Kong Tens.
“I guess, when you win tournaments you tend to get a bit of a profile and get invitations to play elsewhere,” he said. “We became part of a bigger picture and part of that was being asked to play in Hong Kong. It’s a huge occasion here and will give us some good exposure. It’ll help show what we’re doing in New Zealand.”
They will seek to defend their Manila Tens title this weekend before coming to Hong Kong.
“It’ll be a hell of a challenge for us, but I think we’re up to it,” he said. “Winning those two tournaments back-to-back with only a few days recovery will be tough, but that’s what we’re targeting.”
“In terms of a Tens tournament the Hong Kong Tens is probably the most well-renowned in the world with the highest profile. It’s grown in stature and significance. I’m really looking forward to our debut in the tournament,” he said.
This year’s 16-team tournament will feature four round-robin pools on the opening day, and Cup, Plate, Bowl and Shield competitions on the second day.
Pools and seeding:
Pool A: Penguins (1), East Hotel HK Scottish Exiles (8), Irish Vikings (12), Hong Kong Dragons (16)
Pool B: Samurai (2), Carinat Dragons (7), Gavekal Mongrels (11), A-Trade Overseas Old Boys (15)
Pool C: BGC Dragons (3), Iranz (6), Lloyd McDermott Warriors (10), Newedge Club (14)
Pool D: Borneo Eagles (4), Tradition YCAC (5), Tag Heuer Eyewear Pyrenees (9), Devil’s Own Wanderers (13)
