George Simpkin, ex-Hong Kong coach who took rugby into the Chinese community, dies aged 77
- Simpkin, whose legacy is still felt in Hong Kong to this day, died on Thursday near Hamilton, New Zealand, after a battle with cancer
- Ex-players Stuart Krohn, Dean Herewini and Rambo Leung are among those who have paid tribute to the New Zealander
Hong Kong rugby was on Thursday mourning the death of New Zealander George Simpkin, the former head coach who played a major role in the overall development of rugby locally, in China and Asia. Simpkin died on Thursday near Hamilton in New Zealand after a battle with cancer. He was 77.
“During George Simpkin’s 10 years with the HKRU, he changed the face of Hong Kong rugby,” said Hong Kong Rugby Union chief executive Robbie McRobbie. “He introduced rugby to China and played a key role in the development of the game of sevens – he was loved and respected throughout the community and we will always owe him a huge debt of gratitude for all he contributed.
“Our thoughts are with his wife, Pip, and the family, and we will ensure that we have a gathering to share our memories of George and celebrate his life, as soon as social distancing permits.”
Simpkin – a Ranfurly Shield-winning coach with Waikato – joined the Hong Kong Rugby Union in 1988 as technical director after a stint with Fiji. His main task was to spread the game to the Hong Kong Chinese community, as well as introduce the sport into the mainland ahead of the handover in 1997.
He succeeded in both endeavours, helping to set up development teams such as the Hong Kong Dragons and a number of local Chinese-based clubs while embarking on several trips to the mainland to teach rugby to the People’s Liberation Army.