Outsiders SOC GEN Pyrenees stormed into the Cup round on a day of upsets at the GFI HKFC Tens on Wednesday (March 25).
The French team won all three of their Pool B matches on day one of the tournament at Hong Kong Football Club, including a stunning 7-5 upset of second seeds Aliens.
Pyrenees – with former French international scrumhalf Philippe Carbonneau pulling the strings – also recorded a 17-7 victory over the HKRFU Chairman’s X and beat China Agricultural University 49-0.
“Everyone is very happy,” said Pyrenees co-manager Bruno Leroy.
“The key game was obviously against Aliens. We were leading 7-0 when we got a yellow card and at that time we really showed we were all together.
“Although Aliens scored a try while we were down to nine men, we defended very well and got the victory.”
Pyrenees won the fourth-tier Shield on their Tens debut last year and were not expected to put up such a strong challenge the big teams this time around.
“We didn’t expect to finish first in the pool and now we will try to go as far as possible in the Cup, but of course we will need some luck as well,” added Leroy.
Aliens won their other two games to finish second in the pool and secure a place in the Cup competition on Thursday (March 26).
Hosts Hong Kong Football Club produced another shock result with a 7-5 victory over South African newcomers Scatterlings of Africa, who had 2007 Rugby World Cup winner Bobby Skinstad in their line-up.
That victory helped Club to second place in Pool D – and a place in the Cup – behind winners Borneo Eagles.
Scatterlings, the fourth seeds, finished third in the group and will play in the Bowl competition.
Top seeds Penguins won Pool A with three victories over Devils Advocate Wanchai Wanderers (61-5), Wild Titans (22-7) and Hill & Associates TROX AITCS HK Barbarians (22-5).
“Our aim today was three wins and we achieved that, so we’re happy,” said Penguins manager Craig Brown.
“Things didn’t always go our way and the second two games were quite hard, which we’re pleased about because we don’t want to turn up on day two undercooked.”
The Titans, the first German team to compete in the Tens, finished second in the pool to progress to the Cup.
No.3 seeds the Alternative New Zealand Legends – sponsored by a group of 15 rugby fans from the hedge fund industry – topped Pool C with victories over the Champion Systems Overseas Old Boys (36-0), Playmore Phantoms (17-12) and the Irish Vikings (47-0).
Playmore Phantoms won their other two matches to advance to the Cup.
Sixteen club and invitational teams from around the world are competing in the Tens.
The tournament concludes on Thursday with knockout matches for the Cup, Plate, Bowl and Shield. Play begins at 10:15am and tickets costing HK$200 can be bought at the gate.
The Tens is once again title sponsored by global cash and derivatives broker GFI.
GFI HKFC Tens, day one results
Pool A: Penguins 61 Devils Advocate Wanchai Wanderers 5, Hill & Associates TROX AITCS HK Barbarians 12 Wild Titans 14, Penguins 22 Wild Titans 7, Hill & Associates TROX AITCS HK Barbarians 60 Devils Advocate Wanchai Wanderers 0, Devils Advocate Wanchai Wanderers 0 Wild Titans 59, Penguins 22 Hill & Associates TROX AITCS HK Barbarians 5.
Standings: 1-Penguins, 2- Wild Titans, 3- Hill & Associates TROX AITCS HK Barbarians, 4- Devils Advocate Wanchai Wanderers.
Pool B: Aliens 40 China Agricultural University 0, HKRFU Chairman’s X 7 SOC GEN Pyrenees 17, Aliens 5 SOC GEN Pyrenees 7, HKRFU Chairman’s X 35 China Agricultural University 0, China Agricultural University 0 SOC GEN Pyrenees 49, Aliens 19 HKRFU Chairman’s X 14.
Standings: 1-SOC GEN Pyrenees, 2-Aliens, 3-HKRFU Chairman’s X, 4-China Agricultural University.
Pool C: Alternative New Zealand Legends 36 Champion Systems Overseas Old Boys 0, Irish Vikings 12 Playmore Phantoms 24, Alternative New Zealand Legends 17 Playmore Phantoms 12, Irish Vikings 24 Champion Systems Overseas Old Boys 10, Champion Systems Overseas Old Boys 0 Playmore Phantoms 61, Alternative New Zealand Legends 47 Irish Vikings 0.
Standings: 1-Alternative New Zealand Legends, 2-Playmore Phantoms, 3-Irish Vikings, 4-Champion Systems Overseas Old Boys.
Pool D: Scatterlings of Africa 5 Hong Kong Football Club 7, Borneo Eagles 19 Cardiff University 5, Scatterlings of Africa 20 Cardiff University 0, Borneo Eagles 33 Hong Kong Football Club 7, Hong Kong Football Club 24 Cardiff University 14, Scatterlings of Africa 7 Borneo Eagles 7.
Standings: 1-Borneo Eagles, 2-Hong Kong Football Club, 3-Scatterlings of Africa, 4-Cardiff University.
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