Harry Sayers spent large parts of his Christmas break in Sri Lanka outrunning stray dogs and dodging flying cricket balls, after Hong Kong’s rugby players pledged to retain optimum condition for their crunch HSBC SVNS 3 campaign this month.
In a classic boom-or-bust scenario, the city’s sevens side must reach the final of the eight-team tournament in Dubai on January 17 and 18 to advance to the next division, a three-leg competition that holds the keys to the inaugural HSBC SVNS World Championship Round, which begins with the Cathay/HSBC Hong Kong Sevens in April.
Bomb out in the Middle East and Hong Kong will be starved of competitive rugby until September’s Asian Games, save for their Melrose Claymores matches at that same Hong Kong Sevens.
Also a pivotal figure for the city’s 15s team, who have qualified for next year’s World Cup, Sayers said he would be sticking with the squad for the duration of their HSBC SVNS run and returning to the programme for Hong Kong’s Asian Games title defence.
With Nations Cup games forming an essential part of World Cup preparation in July and November, Sayers said he wanted “to play as much as I can, within reason”.
Harry Sayers (right) tackles a Chile player during Hong Kong’s disappointing Challenger Series last year. Photo: Reuters
“I’m nearly 30 and need to look after my body, but I’m changing my passport, so I’m massively committed to sevens,” Sayers said. “I want to play Asian Games and Olympics, but what part I play and where will be decided with the coaches.”