Fresh from being honored at the Hong Kong Coaches Awards last weekend, Paul John said he still had unfinished business as head of the city’s seventh program.
In his 10th year in the role, John was awarded the team’s best coaching prize after Hong Kong’s juniors claimed National Games gold and went on to win the 2025 Asian Rugby Sevens Series.
The year started on a low note, however, when the hometown team lost the HSBC SVNS 3 semi-finals to Canada, costing them promotion to the second tier and any hopes of reaching next season’s world series.
“The boys are back well,” John said. “They were disappointed at the time, but we have reflected on it and are working on the areas where we have to improve.”
Still, the Welshman, who made 10 appearances for his native country, could be forgiven for feeling frustrated after missing out on a number of close calls during his tenure.
Hong Kong lost the 2020 and 2024 Olympic qualifiers by five and seven points, respectively, while they were within one game of securing a major World Series berth in 2019.
