AWESOME METRO MAKE IT THREE TENS TITLES IN A ROW

Hong Kong: March 27, 2008 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

 

Fortis New Zealand Metro completed a hat-trick of GFI HKFC Tens titles with a comprehensive 38-0 victory over Penguins on Thursday (March 27).

 

The powerful Kiwis had looked outstanding throughout the two-day tournament and then moved up another gear in the final as they ran in six tries.

 

Metro manager Barry Gallagher was delighted with his team's dominant performance in front of a large and boisterous crowd at Hong Kong Football Club.

 

"We knew we had to step it up and that the Penguins weren't going to be easy and would be coming out with a lot of determination," said Gallagher.

 

"But when you play finals rugby it's about who takes their opportunities and our boys did fantastically well, they just stamped their mark on the game early on.

 

"Our scrummaging was superb and our defence has been outstanding all through the tournament with only five points against us. We used our bench really well and we had a lot of speed."

 

Metro, winners of the Tens in 2006 and again last year, started the day with a bruising 29-0 quarter-final win over Borneo Eagles and then edged past HSBC New Zealand Legends 7-5 in a thrilling semi-final.

 

The showdown against Penguins was a rematch of last year's final and Metro proved unstoppable, racing into a 19-0 half-time lead thanks to tries from Sona Taumalolo, David Falealili and Winston Stanley, with Jack McPhee kicking a pair of conversions.

 

Further tries from Will Crispin, James Maher and Israel Dagg, plus two more McPhee conversions, wrapped up an emphatic victory.

 

"The boys played really well, we knew it was important to come out firing right from the start and we did that," said Metro captain Kane Hancy.

 

"There was no one really testing us on the first day but then we had a quarter-final against the Borneo Eagles that was quite physical and a really tough semi against the Legends and that set us up for the final."

 

Penguins, playing in the Tens for just the second time after making their debut last year, had reached the final with a hard fought 14-5 semi-final victory over Aliens from New Zealand.

 

Hill & Associates Hong Kong Barbarians won the Plate with a 28-7 victory over the Borneo Eagles.

 

The trophy capped an impressive tournament by the Hong Kong side whose only two losses came against Metro in the pool stages and Penguins in the Cup quarter-finals.

 

In the Bowl final, Yorkshire Windows International Panthers beat Tens debutants RuckU Spartans 7-0.

 

French Pyrenees, another team making their first appearance in the tournament, won the Shield by beating Overseas Old Boys 17-5.

 

Sixteen teams from around the globe took part in the Tens – the world's premier ten-a-side rugby tournament.

 

The Tens was first held in 1986 to celebrate the HKFC's centenary and is now firmly established as a highlight of the Asian rugby calendar.

 

 

ENDS

 

Caption for Tens_metro_270308: Fortis New Zealand Metro celebrate their 38-0 victory over Penguins in the final of the GFI HKFC Tens at Hong Kong Football Club on Thursday, March 27. Mandatory credit: Sean Li/GFI HKFC Tens

 

Released on behalf of the GFI HKFC Tens 2008 by Two Up Front.

 

For further information, please contact:

 

Niall Donnelly

Two Up Front

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Fax: +852 3579 5955

Email: niall@tuf.com.hk