World Rugby U20 Trophy: Hong Kong coach hails side’s ‘massive growth’ after narrow loss to Samoa
- Hong Kong fall 30-27 in second game of World Rugby U20 Trophy in Kenya as two late tries deny Logan Asplin’s side famous win
- Asplin says ‘little moments’ towards end of game cost Hong Kong as 14-man Samoa recover from indiscipline
Hong Kong coach Logan Asplin hailed his side’s “massive growth” after they came within a whisker of beating Samoa in the World Rugby U20 Trophy before losing 30-27.
Only two tries from captain John Mata Samuelu and replacement prop Robert Jnr Robertson in the final 10 minutes denied the city’s side a famous win against the Pacific Islanders, who were almost undone by their own indiscipline in Kenya.
Samoa were reduced to 12 men at the start of the second half following a succession of yellow cards, and finished with 14 players on the pitch after wing Paul Stanley was sent off for kicking out as he gathered a high ball.
Hong Kong’s performance on Thursday was a far cry from the 53-0 hammering they took at the hands of Spain in their opening game at the Nyayo National Stadium in Nairobi.
“If we look back at the post-game against Spain compared to now, the growth in our group is massive,” Asplin said. “The performance today, the execution of the game plan for most of it, was bang spot on. It was just a couple of late little moments and big momentum shifts that in the end went their way.
“So, I’m proud 100 per cent and we had to go through a bit of adversity, as both teams did with players on and off and cards. We just didn’t win some little moments that really mattered.”
Samoa started day two having never lost in the pool stages of an U20 Trophy, and it took them less than nine minutes to take the lead.
Exciting fly-half Afa Moleli carved a line through the Hong Kong defence to start a move that ended with Maoaluma Pasa dotting down.
