The Japan Times - 'Kick up the backside' helps Hong Kong to Asian Games rugby gold

They beat South Korea 14-7 in the final in Hangzhou, as hosts China won women's gold for a second time.

Hong Kong head coach Jevon Groves said afterwards that he had to give Doherty a "kick up the backside" a couple of weeks ago.

It clearly paid off as the winger-turned-forward took the final by the scruff of the neck either side of half-time.

After an attritional first period, Doherty broke the deadlock when he rampaged away from the attacking 10-metre line, broke two tackles and put scrum-half Cado Lee in under the posts. Russell Webb converted.

Just 48 seconds after the restart Doherty was released into space by Max Denmark's quick pass and ran in unopposed with Webb again potting the extras.

"It's absolutely unbelievable," said Doherty.

"We just made history for Hong Kong to win back-to-back Asian Games."

Groves singled out Doherty for praise.

"He's usually a winger and he's moved into the forwards and learned that role really well," Groves said.

"He's got pace and a bit of physicality so I'm really pleased for him because, probably two weeks ago, I gave him a bit of a kick up the backside and it's worked."

South Korea got a consolation try through Kim Eui-tae but Hong Kong were always in control.

"Unbelievable," said Webb, whose unerring boot and cool head directing operations from fly-half was a feature of Hong Kong's march to the title.

It was Webb's first gold, having been forced to miss Jakarta five years ago through injury.

"We had a game plan, all thanks to the coaches, and the lads executed and it's awesome," he told AFP.

"It's bigger than just winning this for us. It's winning it for our programme, the guys back home, for Hong Kong."

Japan, beaten 12-7 by Hong Kong in a semi-final sudden-death extra-time thriller, came from behind to prevent China winning a shock bronze.

- Nail-biting finishes -

Japan, beaten 12-7 by Hong Kong in a semi-final sudden-death extra-time thriller, came from behind to prevent China winning a shock bronze.

China took a 19-14 lead at the end of the second half to a huge roar from a packed home crowd at the Hangzhou Normal University Athletics Field.

As China kicked off, the siren sounded for full-time, giving Japan one last play.

They made it count with Kippei Taninaka touching down to tie the scores and Yoshihiro Noguchi converting to silence the fans.

But the crowd were cheering again a few minutes later as China held on to pip Japan 22-21 in the women's final, which turned into another nail-biter.

Captain Gu Yaoyao opened the scoring in the first minute and three further touchdowns gave the hosts a seemingly comfortable 22-0 half-time lead.

But a stirring second-half fightback had China on the ropes and only a mad scramble to kick the ball dead behind their own try line after the siren denied Japan a winning try.

It meant China were gold medallists for the second time, having won it in 2014. This was also revenge for losing the final 7-5 to Japan in Jakarta five years ago.

Hong Kong's women won an Asian Games sevens medal for the first time when they held out in the face of wave after wave of Thailand attacking play to take the bronze 7-5.

K.Abe--JT