Korea will be real test of today’s ‘ton-up’ Hong Kong
Hosts were ‘clinical and professional’ in opening A5N romp, but just like the Class of ’94 bigger challenges lie ahead
It wasn’t quite the hammering Hong Kong gave Singapore in a 1994 World Cup qualifier, but last Saturday’s 108-0 drubbing of the Philippines came close.
Memories of that match at the Stadium Merdeka in Kuala Lumpur came flooding back for a number of reasons, largely because crossing the 100-point threshold is no simple feat.
As head coach Leigh Jones pointed out, it takes focus to keep your eye on the ball when you are winning so easily. “It was clinical and very professional,” he said afterwards.
Every one of those 16 tries scored against the Philippines will count for nothing if we cannot get the better of Korea
Indeed, it would have been so easy for Hong Kong to take their foot off the pedal once they posted 51 points by half-time.
In these days of professionalism, that attitude speaks volumes for the mind-set of the players, a number of whom are full-time athletes at the Hong Kong Sports Institute. Using this as a measure, looking back to what the Class of ’94 did takes on even more significance.
Led by Rodney McIntosh, Hong Kong arrived in Kuala Lumpur for the Asian Championship hopeful of reaching the final and taking on Japan for the right to represent Asia at the 1995 World Cup. Hong Kong were pooled with South Korea, Thailand and Singapore. In the other pool were Japan, Taiwan, Malaysia and Sri Lanka.
After seeing off Thailand in the opener, Hong Kong were then narrowly beaten by Korea. They took out their frustrations on poor Singapore, running in 26 tries with full-back Ashley Billington grabbing 10.
Flanker Jon Dingley, who like Billington and McIntosh is still in town, scored a hat-trick, as did scrum-half Vaughan Going. Another long-time Hong Kong resident, Jo Hancock, scored a brace on the left wing. Eight others, including skipper McIntosh, got over the line for Hong Kong. Jamie McKee, the elder brother of Pete McKee, was at fly-half and he knocked over 17 conversions to complete the 164-13 victory.
With players like Isi Tu’ivai, Stuart Krohn, Going, Roger Patterson and others, these were heady days for Hong Kong. McIntosh at his pomp was one of the best centres we ever had. Loud-talking and inspirational, Krohn was the biggest mongrel on the pitch and out wide, Tu’ivai was the epitome of a Tongan strike force.
Patterson was a solid lock forward from the mould of an All Black. His partner in the second row was Grant Jamieson, now the HKRFU’s director of finance, who thrived on winning line-out balls from opponents. And, perhaps, having a back-rower named Will Wild probably sums it all up perfectly.
All these players came together with the dream of defeating Korea and then having a go at Japan and qualifying for the World Cup. Defeating the Japanese was a realistic dream in the Pac Rim competition – Hong Kong had done so quite easily (they even beat Canada and the United States).
But you should never underestimate Korea, who pulled the rug from under Hong Kong’s feet with a 28-17 victory.
Perhaps skipper Nick Hewson and his team should take a lesson from the pages of history as they look ahead to meeting Korea at Hong Kong Football Club on May 10.
I remember writing how Hong Kong would have happily traded 20 of those tries they scored against Singapore for a couple more against the Koreans.
Today, we are still alive and dreaming of finishing second in Asia and reaching the repêchage for the World Cup. But every one of those 16 tries scored against the Philippines will count for nothing if we cannot get the better of Korea. That will be the best way to judge just how professional the Class of ’14 really are.
