Hong Kong rugby sevens star Doherty on regaining his focus, Asian Games gold, and not getting stressed over Olympics bid
- Liam Doherty put in a man-of-the-match performance in Hangzhou after being given a dressing down by coaches
- Hong Kong’s men and women return to action this weekend in Bangkok for the second leg of the Asia Rugby Sevens Series
Hong Kong rugby sevens hero Liam Doherty has admitted he was “in denial” over his loss of focus before a pre-Asian Games dressing down from Jevon Groves.
Doherty delivered a man-of-the-match display in the Hangzhou final, scoring one try and creating another, as Hong Kong downed South Korea for a second successive gold medal.
Head coach Groves, whose team are preparing for this weekend’s second Asia Rugby Sevens Series leg in Bangkok, promptly revealed he had given the forward a “kick up the backside” weeks before the tournament.
Doherty subsequently experienced the “number one moment in my career” when he crossed in the gold-medal match.
“The kick up the bum was much needed,” Doherty said. “I wasn’t training too well for the few weeks leading up to selection, I was struggling to stay focused.
