Hong Kong are one of 12 sides set to compete in the core team qualifier at the Cathay Pacific / HSBC Hong Kong Sevens this weekend.
For one side glory awaits, as it did for Japan 12 months ago, and one of this year’s favourites to take their place as one of the 15 core sides for the 2015-16 World Rugby Sevens Series is Hong Kong.
The hosts have narrowly missed out on qualification across the past few seasons, a loss to Italy in the semi-finals 12 months ago most recent in the minds of the players.
“Last year, who knows what would have happened if we had beaten Italy,” said Rowan Varty.
“They played out of their skins to beat us in the semi-final. I don’t think they really had their game going when we played them in the group and they had not really gotten going yet. All their players were decent players, so they were always going to be able to pull out a good performance and they did that in the semis.
“I think we just got it wrong and played it wrong on the day. But looking back now, watching the videos of us play back then, we’re a different team now. We’ve come a very, very long way in the last 12 months, as you’d expect with us being full‑time, and I genuinely think we have a very, very strong chance this year.”
If Hong Kong can qualify Varty, who is set to appear in his 10th Hong Kong Sevens, acknowledges that it would accomplish his and his teammates’ primary goal having become full-time athletes.
“For us to be able to do that [qualify] together, to go to those 10 events and to be a team at the highest level of rugby sevens in the world effectively week in, week out, there’s no better job, there’d be no better feeling in the world,” said Varty. “I’m 100 per cent sure I speak for everyone else in the squad when I say that.
“This would be number one. To get on the Series is my number one goal and this year it’s about the Series and the Olympic qualifier. Obviously the Olympics speaks for itself, but that’s a one‑off tournament. To be on the Series is pretty special for us.”
