2019 Rugby World Cup Repechage: Hong Kong’s rugby machine embarrassed by Germany’s start-up programme
- Hong Kong were outplayed and outsmarted by a lower ranked team with much less experience
In the lead-up to “the biggest moment in our history”, Hong Kong’s rugby team talked a big game.
After head coach Leigh Jones finalised his 30-man roster for the 2019 Rugby World Cup Repechage, he declared the team the “most prepared squad ever”.
Hong Kong Rugby Union chief rugby operations officer Dai Rees ramped up expectations, saying: “We could not be going into a tournament on a better footing”.
And right before their opening match against Germany, Rees doubled down on how confident he was of his boys, saying this tournament is the culmination of three years of continuous work in bringing Hong Kong rugby to their highest level ever after they missed the 2015 World Cup.
“Not only is this squad stronger, fitter and faster, it is both physically and mentally prepared for what lies ahead,” Rees said.