Fiji Sevens backs score four tries in the final, Samurai lift Plate, Hong Kong’s Scottish Exiles grab the Bowl while hosts Natixis HKFC lift the Shield
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HONG KONG – UBB Gavekal retained the Bill Burgess Cup at the 33rd GFI HKFC 10s, as a late try by Fiji Sevens back Leveni Kurimalawai secured a thrilling 24-17 win over a Tradition YCAC side dominated by New Zealanders.
UBB’s Fiji Sevens backs proved the difference, as Samu Bale touched down for an early opener, Sakeo Raloa added two tries and Kurimalawai scored the winner after the sides were locked at 17-17 at Hong Kong Football Club.
Representing Top 14 club Union Bordeaux Begles, UBB were surprise winners last year, but this year lived up to their top-seed status as head coach Matt Clarkin – the former UBB captain – led his side to a second successive victory.
“We’re ecstatic. We’re ecstatic! We knew going back-to-back was going to be an even bigger challenge than coming last year as underdogs, but we thrived on that challenge and the boys showed up hungry and they got the job done,” said Clarkin, whose five Fiji Sevens players included forwards Keponi Paul and Vasikali Mudu.
“The Fiji guys did for us what they did for us last year, but our trademark is working hard for each other. I think that’s still our strength and I think you saw that in the final. To have three yellow cards against you and still come out on top is a huge feat so I couldn’t be prouder of them.”
UBB ran out to a quick 12-0 lead with tries from Bale and Raloa, before New Zealand’s Angus Gibbens pulled one back for YCAC. Raloa extended UBB’s lead to 17-5 before tries by New Zealand’s Te Puoho Stephens and Tonga’s Willie Fotofili made it 17-17, but Kurimalawai scored late on to ensure captain Nick Smith was left lifting the Cup.
“It was the same thing as last year: we just came together as a tight unit,” said Smith, who scored four tries from flyhalf, while compatriot Renata Tenana also scored four tries over the two days.
“We’re all from different parts of the world, from Fiji, South Africa, New Zealand and Hong Kong, but at the end of the day, it’s how you gel together.”
Doddie Weir, the former Scotland and Lions lock suffering from Motor Neurone Disease, walked out with the match ball for the final and was presented with a HK$100,000 cheque for the My Name’5 Doddie Foundation, the tournament’s official charity.
Fourth seeds Samurai International won the second-tier Plate as an all-Fijian squad led by player-coach Nasoni Roko beat A-Trade Overseas Old Boys 28-7. Samurai’s dreams of winning the Cup for the first time were shattered by King’s College, who scored a last-play try to win a dramatic Cup quarter-final 15-14.
Taikoo Place Scottish Exiles won a trophy for the first time at the GFI HKFC 10s after the Hong Kong-based side beat Hunter + Boo East Africans 38-7 in the third-tier Bowl final. Competing for the seventh straight year, Scottish Exiles had finished runner-up in the Plate final three times, so captain Jamie Pincott was delighted to finally lift a trophy.
“It’s been a long few years, especially hitting the finals a lot of the time and coming away empty handed so it’s nice to have this win and to take the trophy home,” said Pincott.
“You can really hear the crowd out here and its really great to play in front of them so I really enjoyed it. It was great to be out there and East Africans are a tough team. It’s good to see them develop over the years and it was great to see them here again.”
Natixis HKFC co-captains Tom Isaacs and Mitch Andrews lifted the Shield after the hosts beat Irish Vikings 17-0. It was a popular victory for the home side after an impressive domestic season and a personal triumph for Isaacs, a former Wales Sevens back who lost in the Plate final twice when playing for Cardiff University in 2006 and 2007.
“We’re very happy. It was a tough two days, but we’re really proud of the way the boys performed in the last two games. I got to the Plate final twice before and actually lost against the Irish Vikings one time, so personally it was nice for me to get that win,” said Isaacs, whose team were boosted by former Australia Sevens speedster Josh Coward, who scored three tries.
“Josh was a big asset. He’s an exciting player once he gets his hands on the ball so it was one of our tactics is try to get it to him as quickly as possible. He finished off some great tries and it was great to have him on the ball.”
GFI has title sponsored the event since 2006. Other sponsors and suppliers for 2018 include Natixis (Gold Sponsor), AIA, Allied World, BT, DHL, Q-Net and Taikoo Place (Silver Sponsors), CBRE, EY and Markel (Bronze Sponsors), Last Word Media, Volvo (Official Car), Grolsch (Official Beer) and Samurai Sportswear (Official Apparel).
Inaugurated in 1986 to celebrate Hong Kong Football Club’s centenary, the GFI HKFC 10s has long attracted the game’s top players including seven All Blacks who won the 2015 Rugby World Cup – Conrad Smith, Jerome Kaino (both 2003), Ben Smith, Charlie Faumuina (both 2008), Beauden Barrett, Sam Cane (both 2010) and Nehe Milner-Skudder (2013).
Cup Final: UBB Gavekal 24-17 Tradition YCAC
Plate Final: Samurai International 28-7 A-Trade Overseas Old Boys
Bowl Final: Taikoo Place Scottish Exiles 38-7 Hunter + Boo East Africans
Plate Final: Natixis HKFC 17-0 Irish Vikings
All results: www.hongkongtens.com/match.php
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PR & Media contact: i3 Sports
John Higginson, Communications Director – john@ii-int.com
Nicholas Kunz, Communications Executive – nicholas@ii-int.com
About GFI HKFC 10s
Hong Kong Football Club has hosted the 10s every year since it was first staged in 1986 to celebrate the club’s 100th anniversary. The GFI HKFC 10s is annually held on the Wednesday and Thursday before the world-famous Hong Kong Sevens and is also sanctioned by the Hong Kong Rugby Union (HKRU). GFI Group, a leading provider of brokerage services and trading support products, has title sponsored the event since 2006. The tournament traditionally attracts many stars of the game including seven of the New Zealand squad that won the 2015 Rugby World Cup. Since GFI started its title sponsorship, the tournament has featured Joe Roff and Toutai Kefu (both 2006), Jonah Lomu (2007), Brian Lima and Israel Dagg (2008), Bob Skinstad (2009), Waisale Serevi, Beauden Barrett and Sam Cane (2010), George Gregan and Christian Cullen (2011), Justin Marshall (2011, 2012), Mils Muliaina (2012), Marty Holah and Nehe Milner-Skudder (2013), George Smith, Alesana Tuilagi and Rupeni Caucaunibuca (2014), Todd Clever (2012, 2013, 2015), Rico Gear (2011, 2013, 2015), Jimmy Cowan, Carl Hayman and Nate Ebner (2016), and Damien Traille, Wendell Sailor, Luke Burgess, Stephen Hoiles and Morgan Turinui (2017). Website: www.hongkongtens.com
About GFI Group Inc.
Founded in New York in 1987 and acquired by BGC Partners in 2015, GFI Group Inc (GFI) provides competitive wholesale market brokerage services in a multitude of global over-the-counter (OTC) and exchange listed cash and derivatives markets. Over more than 25 years, GFI has expanded both organically and through acquisitions into a broad range of markets, including fixed income derivatives, cash fixed income, emerging market financial products, energy and commodity derivatives, and equities. GFI employs more than 2,100 people with additional offices in London, Paris, Hong Kong, Seoul, Tokyo, Singapore, Sydney, Cape Town, Santiago, Bogota, Lima, Dubai, Dublin, Tel Aviv, Calgary, Los Angeles and Sugar Land (TX). GFI provides services and products to over 2,600 institutional clients, including leading investment and commercial banks, corporations, insurance companies and hedge funds. Its brands include GFISM, GFInet®, CreditMatch®, GFI ForexMatch®, EnergyMatch®, FENICS®, Starsupply® and Amerex®. Website: www.gfigroup.com
About My Name’5 Doddie Foundation
My Name’5 Doddie Foundation was established in October 2017 by Doddie Weir, with the support of his family and friends, in response to the former Scotland and Lions lock being diagnosed as suffering from Motor Neurone Disease. Weir shared the news in June 2017. The foundation raises funds to research and investigate the causes and help in the search for potential cures for MND. Trustees Gary Armstrong, Finlay Calder, Scott Hastings, John Jeffrey, Kathy Weir and Stewart Weir believe the Trust can serve as a way of giving the Weir family the practical help they need, while raising the profile of this degenerative condition. Funds will be used to support research by the likes of MND Scotland and the Euan MacDonald Centre for Motor Neurone Disease Research, as well as for other sufferers of MND and their families. Twitter: @MNDoddie5; Website: www.myname5doddie.co.uk
