Hong Kong is a demanding and rewarding city for all its citizens. ‘Work hard, play hard’ is often the mantra for the adults but spare a thought for the city’s teenagers who take life front-on during a decade of character and resilience building, rigorous secondary schooling, university aspirations, challenging and developing relationships that will form lifelong friendships and acquaintances, banana skins of social media etiquette and distraction, family life, and, of course, general health and well-being.

And then imagine throwing a commitment to sport, on top of that.

Speak to the young women who play rugby for HKU Sandy Bay RFC and they will perhaps reverse the question challenge you to, “imagine facing life without rugby, or any other outlet such as a team or individual sport”.

Rugby is the kind of sport that creates relationships, memories, physical and mental challenges. It nurtures and develops confidence, teamwork, grit, empathy, communication, humility and respect. It is therefore no surprise that rugby is such an attractive proposition to children and adults of both genders but more so for females it can be the perfect vehicle to discard stereotypes they have experienced – a chance to express themselves positively, physically, aggressively, confidently.

For 30 years, Sandy Bay rugby club has proudly attracted children and young adults of all ages to play rugby, regardless of their prior experience or background. After three decades of operating within and contributing to the Hong Kong community, mini and youth rugby is as strong as ever at the club with 800+ players filling out the age groups from four to 18 years old.

Sandy Bay Chairman, Michael Lacy, has had three children come through the age groups at the club and continues to enjoy seeing the club and the sport so popular amongst youth girls. “The club has had a strong tradition of fielding youth girls’ teams and we are fortunate that we had some great supporters of girls rugby in the club from the start, and this tradition continues today. I would say that the girl’s teams are some of the greatest exponents of rugby culture and rugby values in the club.”

Over recent seasons, the Youth Girls section has provided the club with much of its success in the under-14, under-16 and under-19 age groups. Speak to any of the players from these teams and you will hear common references to “community, support, teamwork, respect, inclusiveness” that abounds from teammates, parents, coaches, managers, opponents, sponsors, organisers.

Chair of the Girls Section, Laurel West reiterates this point. “We have a great community spirit at the club and a lot of family support and involvement, especially on the girls’ side. While it is a great social atmosphere the girls also take pride in their game. We've been lucky to have some fantastic coaches, and in the past two years have focused on building a pool of women coaches to further inspire the girls.”

For all the family and community support though, the sport and the club would not survive without the support of amazing sponsors like international law firm, Clifford Chance, who have been the principal sponsor of the youth girls’ section for the past few years.

Sandy Bay General Manager, Grant Beuzeval, salutes all of the clubs’ sponsors, saying that “the crucial funding we receive from sponsors helps keep costs down, keeps participation levels high and makes the games more inclusive. It is also a great way for brands to demonstrate their authentic support of and engagement with local communities in a very visible fashion. Everybody is grateful of that - the club, the kids, the parents”.

While the 2019/20 ruby season has been unimaginably disrupted, it has also been another season of triumphs, on-and-off the playing field for the girls teams and despite the chaos, the unfaltering affection for Sandy Bay and the sport of rugby shines brightly amongst the players.

Under-14 Girls

Mary plays for the under-14 team and sums it up nicely in her own words. “What I love the most is being part of a team and working together for a win, running, and being the best version of myself through fitness and teamwork. Our coach Tanya is amazing but also because playing for Sandy Bay is like being part of a family, I love the community aspect of it”.

Mary is referring to their “pro-coach”, 19 year old, Tanya Dhar, who, herself, only recently made her way through the Sandy Bay ranks, representing Hong Kong along the way and was celebrated by club as the Hong Kong Ruby Union (HKRU) “Youth Girls Coach of the Year” in the 2018/19 season. A tremendous accolade for such a promising young coach.

For Tanya it has all come full circle. “I love coaching the U14 girls because it makes me further appreciate the positive impact rugby can have on young kids. The girls are all extremely humble, receptive and an absolute delight to coach. I learn a lot from them, probably more than they learn from me and that keeps me grounded. Every session I take, I’m reminded to enjoy the simple things. The higher the level you play at, the more stress and pressure it comes with but being in their company is a constant reinforcement for me that first and foremost, rugby is there to be enjoyed with your best friends”.

Sandy Bay provides professional (paid) coaching for all age-groups from under-9 and upwards as part of its commitment to providing well-run sessions and focus on appropriate age-level skills. The pro-coaches are drawn from the players of the Sandy Bay Men’s and Women’s premier teams, providing a strong link to the modern game and compliment the throngs of volunteer parent coaches on Sunday mornings and some weeknights.

Bonnie has been playing rugby since she was 7 and loves her rugby. “My favourite part of playing rugby is not only that it’s really fun, but sports like rugby are male-dominated, and playing rugby proves that girls can do anything boys can, if not better. The team is very supportive, we have great teamwork, and the coaches are encouraging and help us achieve our best. Tanya is a great coach and is very easy to relate to, helping us to do well in rugby”

Playing since she was 4 years old, Ai says, “I love the excitement and the adrenalin, I really like to tackle and being able to play scrum half which is fun. I love playing with my great team mates at Sandy Bay and the coaches are caring and professional”.

In a disjointed season, team manager Helen Donovan summarises the efforts of the under-14 girls’ team. “We had an incredible season. The first team played with great panache and remained unbeaten throughout the entire 15-a-side league. The final was an intriguing game where the team exhibited its mettle and roared back from a 0-17 score line to win the championship by 29-24. This game was a testament to the grit, camaraderie of the team and the hard work that the girls had put in at every single training. The second team also went unbeaten in both their tournaments. It was heartening to observe the massive progress that the individuals and the team made throughout the season.

The squad undeniably owes its success to the ever-supportive and enthusiastic parents. Credit to the technical coaches Tanya Dhar and Mark Prior as well as head coach Carl Watson and all the parent coaches.”

Under-16 Girls

Despite the chaos and disruption to the current season, the under-16 girls team managed to play a full and unbeaten 15’s season, scoring 222 points for and only conceding 48 points, capped off by winning in a terrific final match against the HKFC.

This year, the team had a total of 14 girls selected into the National Age Group (NAG) 15’s season. This represented 28% of the total NAG squad and about 70% of our regular squad.

Recognition also came for individual players. At the famous New Year’s Day Youth Tournament at HKFC, Hayley Lai (HKUSB) was nominated Prudential player of the tournament and also won the Larry Abel Trophy. She says that “the HKU Sandy Bay environment and my teammates and coaches are incredibly inspiring. The close friendships that I’ve developed in my time with the team is truly unforgettable. I like the unique physical aspect of rugby, and although it is extremely physically demanding, I always find myself really enjoying every part of games, along with the team spirit that helps me get through tough moments.”

Meanwhile at the Discovery Bay Beach Festival, Poppy, who has been playing since she was 4 years old, was awarded MVP of the U16 tournament and Youth Player of the Festival. “I like playing rugby because it is a team sport where you learn how to communicate. As part of a team we are reliant on knowing each other’s strengths and weaknesses and compensating for them, which are valuable lessons for life. I like the community aspect of it. When I go down to trainings on Sunday and see my coaches from under 5's (who are still there!) and they ask how I am getting on”.

Team skipper Danielle attends West Island School and has been playing rugby since she was 3 years old, and although she dreams of playing for Canada one day, she loves her local club. “I really enjoy the atmosphere of the rugby community and how, although it’s very competitive as we all want to win, the number 1 priority is having fun. I enjoy playing for HKU Sandy Bay because of the great coaches and team atmosphere the club provides”.

Reinforcing her teammates comments, Sarah declares that she “loves the team spirit within the team and meeting new people, as well as the non-athletic skills that we learn when playing, such as discipline, teamwork, etc. The team dynamic is very good and welcoming, and everyone has each other’s backs, on the pitch and off”.

Team manager Simon Tyrrell calls them “a simply remarkable and inspiring group of young women” and observes that “in any normal situation the diversity of their respective personalities would unlikely gel, but as a team, on and off the pitch, they are united in their common love of the game and despite us asking a lot of them, they have never not exceeded our expectations for commitment and results. I am humbled to be part of their journey”

The team is coached by pro-coaches Lynda Nazer, who plays for the Sandy Bay Storm, and George Humphries of the Men’s Premiership squad. In her second season with the team, Lynda enjoys her time with them. “They are a constant joy to coach, especially as they have a strong commitment to all training sessions. The enthusiasm from the team excels both on and off the pitch but they are always ready to take on criticism and challenges, so it is an exciting process for everyone involved.”

U19-Girls

At the elder end of youth rugby in Hong Kong, the challenges are different. The U19 girls’ teams across Hong Kong have difficulties maintaining their numbers and many clubs join up with another squad to participate in the season. This year, Sandy Bay teamed up with Gai Wu RFC and together, did their clubs proud through a highly disrupted season.

Club pride soared when 17 year old Sandy Bay protégé, Anna Birkett, sensationally debuted with the Hong Kong National Women’s team in the Asia Rugby Olympic Qualifying tournament in China, scoring with her first touch of the ball at the senior level.

Manager Chad Pheasant reports fondly that “the team spirit was impressive, and the players have given their all throughout the season. We participated in the 15s league and in the Discovery Bay Beach Rugby Tournament and did the club proud with our never say die attitude.

Onwards and Upwards

The long tradition of excellence, camaraderie and fun has continued amongst the youth girls teams at HKU Sandy Bay RFC, despite the chaos and adversity. The culture of inclusiveness has thrived amongst the players, the coaches and managers, the parents and organisers within the club.

New players, new families, are welcomed with open arms to the club – no matter the age, gender, ability or experience. Come play rugby at Sandy Bay and created mates and memories for life.