Rugby Football Union - Hong Kong hat-trick

Hong Kong hat-trick


	England celebrate their win in Hong Kong

England wrapped up the IRB Hong Kong Sevens title for the third successive year when they beat Argentina 22-12 last month.

The win moved them to within four points of overall leaders New Zealand in the IRB Sevens Series with three tournaments left to play.

England had a 12-5 lead at the break and never looked like losing. They had superior speed and tackling power in a match that brought great flowing movements from both sides and two tries from the Pumas.

Tries from Simon Amor and Pete Richards, plus a Ben Gollings conversion gave England their lead at the break, with Richard Haughton extending the advantage with his eighth try of the tournament in the second half. Rob Thirlby added England’s fourth try after Argentina had cut the deficit to 17-12.

Said coach Joe Lydon, “We had to respect Argentina as they are playing excellent sevens at the moment. But this is what we came here to do and I am very proud of the boys.”

Group B results: England 49 China 0, England 36 Scotland 12, England 42 Georgia 0.
Quarter-final: England 17 Fiji 12. Semi-final: England 15 South Africa 7.
Final: England 22 Argentina 12.

Points scorers: 47 Ben Gollings (three tries, 16 conversions), 40 Richard Haughton (eight tries), 20 Peter Richards (four tries) 15 Geoff Appleford (three tries), 10 Pat Sanderson, Dan Scarbrough, Rob Thirlby (two tries each), 5 Simon Amor, Neil Baxter, Kai Horstmann, Paul Sampson (one try each).

NIG, one of the UK’s leading insurance providers, became an Official Partner of the England Sevens team, before the team travelled out to win the Hong Kong Sevens and on to the Singapore Sevens on April 3rd and 4th on the Far Eastern leg of the 2003/4 IRB Sevens Series Circuit.

NIG is also on board for the final two tournaments of the circuit, the Bordeaux Sevens (May 28th and 29th) and the London Sevens at Twickenham over June 5th and 6th, which will decide the final sevens rankings for the year.

“We are delighted to welcome NIG into our family of partners at the RFU and we look forward to developing a mutually beneficial and long-lasting relationship,” said Joe Lydon, England’s Sevens coach.

“Sevens rugby is not only fast, furious and exciting to watch, but it is becoming increasingly important in the international rugby calendar so we are pleased to partner the England Sevens Team,” commented David Grant, NIG’s Marketing Director.