I
t was over 39 degrees centigrade on
the first of June just after midday when
a group of girls played an exhibition
rugby match at the main stadium of
the Hong Kong Football Club. The girls
were drawn into two teams of 15-a-side
from clubs from all over Hong Kong Island
forming the Lion Cubs (HKFC, HKU Sandy
Bay and Valley Fort playing in red) and
from the Kowloon Peninsula, the Mini-
Barbarians (DB Pirates, DeA Tigers, Flying
Kukris, Sai Kung Stingrays and South
Lantau Buffaloes playing in black and
white hoops).
The match, sponsored by HSBC, took
place as a showcase during the day
when the touring British and Irish Lions
would play a unique match in Hong
History was made as the girls took to the rugby pitch
in June, writes
Playtimes
’
publisher
David Tait
.
Kong against the Barbarians later in the
evening. International ambassadors and
legendary Lions players Gareth Edwards
and Martin Johnson assisted in training
the girls and gave both teams secret
locker room talks before they came out
on to the boiling cauldron of play.
Both teams played with
extraordinary determination having
trained rigorously over the preceding
weeks with scores from both sides. The
domination of the Lion Cub forwards,
strong half back communication
supported by powerful tackling and
flawless kicking gave a final score
advantage to the team in red. Gareth
Edwards and Martin Johnson were quite
astonished at the quality and energy of
Principal photograher
David G. McIntyre |
Additional images
Sharon McEneff
94
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