Hong Kong make RWC history with 39-6 win over South Korea
Hong Kong kept their 2015 Rugby World Cup dream alive after they demolished South Korea 39-6 with a powerful performance built around a strong defensive effort at Hong Kong Football Club on Saturday.
Hong Kong kept their 2015 Rugby World Cup dream alive after they demolished South Korea 39-6 with a powerful performance built around a strong defensive effort at Hong Kong Football Club on Saturday.
The five-try romp not only earned Hong Kong their third successive bonus point in the Asian Five Nations competition, but it also saw them regain top spot in the standings although Asian champions Japan, who hammered Sri Lanka 132-10 in Tokyo, have a game in hand.
“Our dream is alive,” said elated skipper Nick Hewson. “We have booked the repêchage spot for Asia, but this is not enough – for certain we will have a crack at Japan in our final game.”
This is a memorable day in Hong Kong rugby history. Our defence was superb. This game meant a lot to the guys
Hong Kong will meet Japan on May 25 in Tokyo with the winner of that match booking Asia’s spot at the Rugby World Cup in Pool B alongside South Africa, Samoa, Scotland and the United States.
The second-placed team in Asia – Hong Kong have assured themselves of that spot if they lose to Japan – will play Uruguay in a one-off match in Montevideo in August with the winner moving into the final stages of the repêchage, where they will face either an African or European team in a home-and-away play-off.
South Korea began strongly when Hong Kong centre Jake Phelps was sin-binned for a high tackle in the first minute. With one man down, Hong Kong took time to settle and conceded two penalties in the first five minutes, which Korean fly-half Oh Youn-hyung knocked over to give the visitors a 6-0 lead.
