While Hong Kong won the Asian Sevens Series rugby final 24-7 over Japan in Malaysia on Sunday, Taiwan were left with next to nothing with three sound defeats before a consolation win over lowly United Arab Emirates to avoid last place in the 12-team competition.
Taiwan went into the tournament having missed the first leg in Hong Kong and face a major challenge to turn the results around heading into the Asian Games, which begin on Sept. 19, with the rugby scheduled from Sept. 30 to Oct. 2.
Taiwan are to play Sri Lanka on the first day and then South Korea and India on the second, before a day of finals. The first two games are against sides who were also in Malaysia, and while Taiwan did not meet them there, the difference in form was obvious.
Photo courtesy of Vito Kuo
In Malaysia, Taiwan played Singapore and Japan on the opening day, conceding 73 points and scoring none. They notched their first try against the Philippines, but wilted in the second half of the Bowl semi-final.
Lapses in discipline pointed to a team seriously lacking match fitness, as did a lot of shirt grabbing on defense and a slew of sloppy passes. When Taiwan had the chance to run, they looked almost slick with the field open, but when going into contact, they looked confused and hesitant.
Having finished third in the series two years ago, the problem is certainly something other than the players’ rugby ability.
The lack of a regular season in Taiwan has been pinpointed as the biggest problem. The rugby board organizes a few weekend or week-long tournaments each year, but what players need in order to improve is weekly competition.
Former Taiwan Sevens coach Nathan Mauger agreed.
“I submitted a report to the Taiwanese rugby union [Chinese Taipei Rugby Union, CTRU] after I arrived back in New Zealand outlining the areas that need to improve and made suggestions on what needs to happen for Taiwan to progress as a rugby playing nation,” said Mauger, who departed last year to focus on coaching in Christchurch.
“I’m not sure if any of the feedback has been actioned, but my prediction is that the national team’s performances will continue to fluctuate without some of the basic infrastructure required to grow the game, ie, a domestic competition where the players are playing rugby on a regular basis,” the former All Black said.
“It all starts with having a strong vision for where the rugby union wants to see the game going. From there it’s about having a well organized strategic plan and having the right people to drive it all,” Mauger said.
Local rugby organizer Lomu Yeh said there are a lot of problems with Taiwanese rugby, adding that the lack of a season is one he wants to rectify.
“We are organizing a regular rugby season, and hope to start soon. If we can make it, I think it might have some positive effects for Taiwanese rugby. Then we can try to solve other problems,” Yeh said.
Yeh runs the Taiwan Rugby Union, which is not associated with the CTRU.
The CTRU could not be reached for comment due to the Mid-Autumn Festival holiday.
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