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Bring it on, say Hong Kong after favourable draw for winner-takes-all Olympic rugby repêchage

Gareth Baber’s team will face Spain, Mexico and South Korea next month

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Hong Kong players celebrate after they beat Spain at the 2016 Hong Kong Sevens. Photo: SCMP

Hong Kong “have nothing to fear” after a favourable draw for next month’s winner-takes-all Olympic repêchage tournament, said coach Gareth Baber.

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After a barnstorming run to the final of the World Series Qualifier on home soil in April, HK were seeded fourth, the highest for a team not on the HSBC World Rugby Sevens Series, for the 16-team tournament in Monaco next month.

And after landing Spain, Mexico and South Korea, they will enter pool play full of confidence. The winner of the tournament gets the one remaining ticket to Rio.

“We’ve got nothing to fear,” said Baber. “We’ve just got to get the detail right on ourselves moving forward into the qualifying tournament and make sure we get our plan in place.”

Ben Rimene celebrates with Toby Fenn after his extra time try helped Hong Kong defeat Spain in the Hong Kong Sevens. Photo: SCMP/ Jonathan Wong
Ben Rimene celebrates with Toby Fenn after his extra time try helped Hong Kong defeat Spain in the Hong Kong Sevens. Photo: SCMP/ Jonathan Wong
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Spain will be the toughest task for Hong Kong in pool D, but a 12-7 victory at the Hong Kong Sevens to reach the semis of the Qualifier tournament is proof they can beat them.

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