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VI reaches Kowloon Rugby Tournament quarterfinals

Team VI reached the quarter finals of the Kowloon Tens, a Rugby Festival known to be one of the most social in the World. Photo: Provided
ROAD TOWN, Tortola, VI – A VI Representative Rugby team reached the quarter finals of the Kowloon Tens Rugby Festival, played in Kowloon, Hong Kong on Wednesday March 26, 2014.

According to BVI Rugby Union President, Ronan Kuscaj the VI team competed well in the Tournament and was unlucky to be knocked out in the quarterfinals.

The rugby festival brought 24 teams from all around the world to compete in an all-day rugby festival, with each game lasting 10 minutes. The BVI brought two U-19s Kareem Ettienne and Rory Thornton for the trip of a life time and the two youngsters shone on a warm day at the Kings Park watched by a big crowd.

In the first game against a very social and aptly named Burnside Beerbarians the VI were simply too quick for the opposition with Thornton running in a hat-trick of scores and other scores coming from Jon Addo and veteran Victor Franklyn to win 35-0.

The next game against a fit and well drilled Flying Kukris side was far tougher with a close game settled in the very last minute with Jonny Bailey stealing the win 7-0 after good work from guest player Justin Tamara and strong tackling from the two youngsters.

Jakarta Komodos also presented a tough game with Burger scoring after a strong run. Unfortunately, he missed the conversion which proved the old adage that the front row should stick to scrummaging and avoid taking drop kicks, as the scores were level at 5-5. At the end of the game fly half Tamara limped off robbing the VI of their playmaker.

This was to hurt the VI against a strong Shanghai side who ran in 5 tries to win 35-0. In the final pool game a tired VI side scraped a 14 - 7 win against the Kowloon Loonies with Burger and Liam Afatu powering over.

The VI faced the Hong Kong Pot Bellied pigs in the quarter finals and in a close game the VI thought they had drawn game at one score all, however the referee controversially disallowed the VI conversion to prematurely end the tournament as VI lost 7-5.

Showing great spirit, the Pot Bellied pigs invited the VI youngsters to play in a charity rugby match at the Hong Kong Football Club today and at the after match dinner, where 600 guests enjoyed fun and festivities, the VI was presented with the award for most social team by former Lions legend Jon Bentley, who himself came to speak at the VI dinner in 2000.

The full VI squad was; Kareem Ettienne, Rory Thornton, Ronan Kuczaj, Simon Knight, Jonathan Bailey, Nathan Harrison, Jon Addo, Kyle Norton, Burt Woodley, Victor Franklyn, Andrew Simmonds, Justin Temara, Liam Afatu, Paul Christopher and Aitene Mitchell.

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