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Junior World Rugby Trophy 2014
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Japan pose tough task for Hong Kong U20s

Hong Kong's task of qualifying for the IRB Junior World Trophy next year has been made harder with Asian champions Japan favourites to book the one spot available from the ARFU U20s Asian Championships which kick off at Hong Kong Football Club on Sunday.

Hong Kong's task of qualifying for the IRB Junior World Trophy next year has been made harder with Asian champions Japan favourites to book the one spot available from the ARFU U20s Asian Championships which kick off at Hong Kong Football Club on Sunday.

Japan's failure to qualify for the top tier IRB World Championships next year has meant only the winner of the four-team competition will progress to the second-tier event in 2012.

Japan's 31-24 loss to Samoa earlier this month in the final of the 2011 IRB World Trophy will mean they will have to qualify for this event next year, and they will be going all out to do that by winning in Hong Kong.

'If Japan had beaten Samoa, it would have opened up another berth for an Asian team at next year's World Trophy,' said Hong Kong Rugby Football Union head of performance Dai Rees.

'Now it makes it difficult to qualify but Hong Kong must play the best teams in Asia if we are to continue to develop.'

With Hong Kong's senior team finishing the recently concluded HSBC Asian Five Nations Top Five competition in second place, Rees is looking forward to the next generation of rugby players coming through from the under-20 squad.

'Japan currently set the standards at all levels in the men's game in Asia and it wouldn't be a true Asian Championship if they were not here,' Rees added.

The squad, which will be finalised later this week, is likely to comprise an experienced set of forwards - most of whom figured last year when Hong Kong reached the final before losing to Japan - and a new set of backs.

Hong Kong begin their campaign against Thailand on Sunday, followed by Sri Lanka on Wednesday, and Japan next Saturday. It is the first time the tournament is being played in a round-robin format. 'We have a lot of respect for all the teams and it will be tough. But we are confident,' said Hong Kong U20 head coach Joe Shaw.

Rees added: 'Preparation has been tough for the guys due to the unavailability of players because of end of year exams and university commitments.'

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