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Paul Ryding

Welcome to live coverage of the opening day of the 2019 Hong Kong Rugby Sevens. The action kicks off at So Kon Po Recreation Ground today with Hong Kong's women bidding to progress to tomorrow's knock-out stage of the Women's Sevens Series qualifiers.




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Hong Kong Sevens

As it happened -- Hong Kong Sevens 2019 live blog: hosts squeak through women's qualifiers to make day two at So Kon Po

The captains of this year's series qualification hopefuls are pictured with the trophy in Central on Tuesday. Photo: David Paul Morris/Clique Visuals

Sport

Rugby

HK Sevens

Follow all the action from So Kon Po, where Iain Monagahan's charges bid for a coveted spot in the HSBC Women's Sevens Series


Live

Scotland get their qualifying campaign up and running with a slick 31-12 victory over the Belgians at So Kon Po Recreation Ground.


Belgium 12-31 Scotland

There'll be a total of 18 games today in pool play before the action moves over the road to Hong Kong Stadium tomorrow for the eight quarter-finalists.


Today's schedule

Japan are making light work of Mexico in their opening pool A match. They've run in two tries in the first five minutes to set the tone today.


Japan 14-0 Mexico

First test for our ladies now. How will they fair against the Papuans in their opener?


Hong Kong about to get underway against Papua New Guinea

Bright start by the hosts. Still no score yet.


PNG 0-0 Hong Kong

Great run from a long way out by Rama who burst through after a turnover, and the hosts trail.


PNG 5-0 Hong Kong

The Papuans extend their lead after another missed tackle. Conversion successful. Hong Kong need a stellar effort to get back in this one now.


PNG 12-0 Hong Kong

Papua New Guinea extend their lead with a minute left of the first half. This is becoming a bit of a nightmare for the hosts.


PNG 17-0 Hong Kong

A forward pass stops a promising Hong Kong run in its tracks after the half-time buzzer and the hosts go in at the interval trailing big in their pool B opener. 


Half-time: PNG 17-0 Hong Kong

Strong carry from PNG's Mavis Biyama and she storms home for the Papuans fourth try of the match and this is becoming a bit of a (predictable) hiding for Hong Kong's ladies now.


 PNG 22-0 Hong Kong

The hosts finally get on the board through resident speedster KY Chong. Conversion successful.


PNG 22-7 Hong Kong

Dummy and go!
Fatima Rama shows how it's done for Papua New Guinea in the World Rugby Women's Sevens Series qualifier pic.twitter.com/rVAhzxWvda
— World Rugby Sevens (@WorldRugby7s) April 4, 2019


Hong Kong appear somewhat energised as the Papuan's are reduced to six women. Surely it's lat though as Kwong goes over with a minute on the clock.


PNG 22-14 Hong Kong

Too little, too late from the hosts, but they managed to salvage some pride at the end there to make the score respectable.
Not an ideal start for coach Iain Monaghan's women, but something to build on with their second game coming up against Kenya at 1.40pm.
Kenya start their campaign against Uganda up next.


Full-time: PNG 22-14 Hong Kong

That looks like it's going to be a huge task for Hong Kong in their next pool game -- Kenya have walloped Uganda there and a second defeat for the hosts this afternoon will mean their series qualification campaign won't make it to day two of the 2019 Hong Kong Sevens.


Kenya 24-0 Uganda

You can follow the pool standings throughout the day right here as the tournament progresses at So Kon Po.




Current standings

A real ding-dong battle going on here. End-to-end stuff ...


Argentina 12-12 Kazakhstan

Kazakhstan snatch the win with last play of the game. Game of the days so far. Hard luck for the South Americans, but the Kazakhs showed their mettle to come from behind there. Great win.


Full-time: Argentina 12-17 Kazakhstan

Another result in the books as Brazil start their qualifying campaign with a narrow win over Poland.


Brazil 14-12 Poland

And here's how things look after all 12 teams have played their first round match of pool play. 




Latest standings

Action will continue soon from So Kon Po Recreation Ground, but in the meantime, why not check out some of our wealth of coverage on the 2019 Hong Kong Sevens so far?

We've gone back through the years to highlight some of the best costumes the South Stand has ever thrown up;
We've looked at the story so far on the World Series;
Assessed who is in the driving seat for the Cup at Hong Kong Stadium; and
Spoken to former Hong Kong coach Gareth Baber about why there have been so many upsets on the Series this season

All that as well as much, much more. You can check out all of our Hong Kong Sevens coverage here.
 


Break in play

The Europeans, who lost their opener against Scotland, hockey the Mexicans 34-0 to kick off the second round of pool games.


Belgium 34-0 Mexico 

It was a tough loss for the hosts in their opener, but they need a reaction in their second pool match again Kenya.
This clip pretty much summed up their opening game against Papua New Guinea. #deflated
PNG flying at the women’s qualifiers in Hong Kong #HK7s pic.twitter.com/gXMrfAfiHf
— World Rugby Sevens (@WorldRugby7s) April 4, 2019


Hong Kong looking to bounce back in their second game

Japan look in good nick as they register their second win of the day, and Scotland suffer a first loss in pool A.
PNG meet Uganda now before it's crunch time for Hong Kong when they meet Kenya to stay in the tournament.


Japan 27-19 Scotland

Crucial game for Hong Kong about to get underway at So Kon Po.


Hong Kong vs Kenya

Shaky start from the hosts. A missed tackle allows Kenya to get in in the left corner. Two minutes gone. Conversion missed.


Kenya 5-0 Hong Kong

More missed tackles from Hong Kong's women and their hopes of making the last-eight in Hong Kong Stadium are fading fast here.


Kenya 10-0 Hong Kong

A litany of errors from Hong Kong here; missed tackles and dodgy handling have blighted their efforts so far.
A spirited fightback on the cards, though?
Sarah Lucas goes over for the hosts, scoring her first try for Hong Kong, and our ladies are back in it just before half-time.


Kenya 10-5 Hong Kong

Oh no, yet another missed tackle by Hong Kong allows the Kenyans in again, right on half-time.
Iain Monaghan's women really haven't helped themselves in that first half.
Kenya have punished their errors mercilessly.


Half-time: Kenya 15-5 Hong Kong

Another Hong Kong calamity sees two players trip one another accidentally, and the African's go over after 24 seconds in the second half. Converted.


Kenya 22-5 Hong Kong

Kenya over again and this is a rout now. Converted.
Hong Kong's sevens weekend is over.


Kenya 29-5 Hong Kong 

Hong Kong battling away, but it will be in vain. Kenya are down to six players, but still manage another try.


Kenya 36-5 Hong Kong 

Hong Kong go down fighting, but Kenya were just too strong for them.
The hosts will play their final game at the 2019 Hong Kong Sevens later today at 3.52pm, when they will look to salvage some pride against Uganda.


Full-time: Kenya 36-5 Hong Kong

Our intrepid reporter Sam Agars braved Pottinger Street earlier this week to browse costume options with Hong Kong players Lee Jones and Jess Ho. Both sounded confident that they could progress.
Unfortunately, it didn't pan out like that for Ho, but Jones and Co kick-off their campaign tomorrow at 1.24pm inside what's shaping up to be a raucous, bank holiday crowd at Hong Kong Stadium.
Here's Sam's interview:
Never mind the stiff competition – Hong Kong's teams are riding high on confidence ahead of the Sevens. https://t.co/iiGkWPGs5M #HK7s pic.twitter.com/WK2OKDNshF
— SCMP News (@SCMPNews) April 3, 2019


Hopeful Hong Kong

Of course, it's not just the Sevens going on this week, the annual Rugby 10s competition is in its final day today, and the tireless Agars is down there now.
He's spotted some Hong Kong Sevens royalty working the mic down at Sports Road.
Ben Gollings, former England Sevens star, three-time leading points scorer on the Sevens Series and the first player to top 2,000 points is sharing the benefit of his wisdom down there.



Sevens royalty spotted at Hong Kong Football Club

The final six matches of the pool stage of the women's qualifiers is about to get underway, and there's still plenty to play for at So Kon Po Recreational Ground.


Final round of pool games about to start

Thre wins from three for Japan as they seal their spot in the last-eight tomorrow. Impressive showing from them today.
They'll be joined in Hong Kong Stadium tomorrow by Scotland, who romped past Belgium 35-0.


Japan 35-0 Belgium

Hong Kong now facing Uganda in their final group game. It's something of a dead rubber, however, as both these sides are already out, but it's a chance for the hosts to salvage some pride on a disappointing day.


Pool B

Hong Kong 12-0 Uganda

The hosts extend their lead with a third try before the interval.


Half-time: Hong Kong 19-0 Uganda

Another try for Hong Kong and they're really going out with a bang now.


Hong Kong 26-0 Uganda

Surely too late for the African side to come back into this one, but they're on the board at least.


Hong Kong 26-5 Uganda

Well, that was more like it. Hong Kong gave a solid performance in their final pool game as they put Uganda to the sword and ensured they didn't finish the 2019 Hong Kong Sevens winless.


Full-time: Hong Kong 26-5 Uganda

Still all to play for in the final pool games of today.
Poland sneaked a win against Kazakhstan 12-10 but it won't be enough to see them progress. Shock result, though.


Pool C

Brazil hang on to win 26-24 in the final match of the day.
We'll now wait to figure out who qualifies for day two in Hong Kong Stadium tomorrow. Japan, Kenya and Brazil are all assured of their spot ...


Brazil hang on to top Argentina in thriller

Could the hosts have done the seemingly impossible by making it through after two chastening losses to open up the day?
The best and second-best third-placed teams should progress, and that might include Hong Kong. We await confirmation ...


Have Hong Kong qualified?

By the narrowest of margins, the hosts will play in Hong Kong Stadium on Friday. How they will be glad they kept working hard against Uganda in that final pool match!


Hong Kong qualify for day two

Quarter-final draw

I'll own up to it, I'd written them off after two straight defeats, but a spirited showing in their final pool match against Uganda (a 26-5 win) sees them through by just two points!
Japan, arguably the most impressive performers on day one, will be a huge task tomorrow morning, but anything can happen in knock-out competition and Hong Kong will be delighted to have made it through to day two.


Monaghan's ladies progress

Our rugby guy Patrick Blennerhassett reliably informs me:
"Japan have outscored their opponents 116 to 19 over three games. The last time Hong Kong played Japan in 'formal competition' was the final leg of the Asia Rugby Women's Sevens Series in 2018 in Sri Lanka. Hong Kong lost 31-0 in the Cup final."


Hong Kong's slim hopes

There's been some great rugby on day one. Not all of it from our girls, but enough to see them qualify.
That's about it for Thursday. We'll be back with the live blog tomorrow morning for the opening day of the World Series and the men's qualifiers.
See you then.


.css-19im5qg{color:#c79a00;}Live | As it happened -- Hong Kong Sevens 2019 live blog: hosts squeak through women's qualifiers to make day two at So Kon Po

.css-1c6uqr6{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;overflow-wrap:break-word;}Follow all the action from So Kon Po, where Iain Monagahan's charges bid for a coveted spot in the HSBC Women's Sevens Series

Live | As it happened -- Hong Kong Sevens 2019 live blog: hosts squeak through women's qualifiers to make day two at So Kon Po

Follow all the action from So Kon Po, where Iain Monagahan's charges bid for a coveted spot in the HSBC Women's Sevens Series