Coach’s Corner | The highs, the lows and the biblical floods
Why my Hong Kong players can be proud of performance in first Asia Rugby Championship
Our participation in the inaugural Asia Rugby Championship was a success. Not only did we blood six new players into the realms of international rugby, we maintained our top three status in Asia’s premier competition. The thick layer of icing on the cake was of course pipping South Korea for second place.
Just over a month ago the overriding feelings after the opening game were disappointment and frustration. Our preparation had gone superbly, the players were as fit as they have ever been and we had a game plan that aimed to pull Korea apart.
At that final whistle never had Robbie Burns’ words rang so true: “The best laid schemes..."
If ever there was a game that demonstrated the consequences of individual errors, this was it. Thirteen unforced turnovers, seven penalties and four tries all before half-time were certainly not part of the plan. That was (and continued to be) a massive lesson.
But be careful what you wish for. The deluge that ensued during the warm-up, at kick-off and into the game was of biblical proportions
In games where you find yourselves as overwhelming underdogs – like against Japan – it’s important to set numerous process goals so, irrespective of the final outcome, there is quantifiable evidence of “mini victories”. In a game where we struggled to establish our attack these mini wins came through our defensive efforts.
