Failure to retake the Asian summit for the first time in 20 years… 21-23 comeback defeat by dedication of ‘Theatre Goal’
The challenge of the 15-man Korean men’s rugby team, which was aiming to become the top Asian in 20 years, was unfortunately frustrated.
The national team, led by head coach Charlie Lowe, lost 21-23 to Hong Kong in the final of the 2022 Asian Rugby Championship held at Incheon South East Asiad Rugby Stadium on the 9th.
Korea, who advanced to the final by beating Malaysia 55-10 in the semi-finals, struggled with Hong Kong’s rough play in the 80 minutes and had to be content with the runner-up.
Hosted by the Asian Rugby Federation, this tournament has been held as the Asian Rugby Championship since 1969, and has been changed to the current tournament since 2015.
This year, Korea, Hong Kong and Malaysia participated.
Korea, which has won the Asian Rugby Championships, its predecessor, five times, starting in 1982, has not reached the top for 20 years since 2002.
Korea, ranked 30th, which is evaluated as inferior in objective power compared to Hong Kong, which is ranked 22nd in the world, enjoyed the fortune of gaining a numerical advantage at the start of the game.
In the first minute of the first half, Hong Kong’s Charles Hickson-Smith received a red card for trying to tackle Jeong Yeon-sik’s neck.
However, despite their numerical superiority, Korea began to lose to Hong Kong, which is mostly made up of British players, leading in strength and physical strength.
Hong Kong, who had a chance to take a penalty kick due to a Korean foul in the 10th minute of the first half, scored the first three points with a clean kick.
10 minutes later, Hong Kong managed to move to the in-goal area by squeezing out a scrum from the offensive line and pushing it away with force.
Hong Kong scored the first try (to score a goal by hitting the ball in the opponent’s in-goal area), scoring 5 points and fleeing 8-0.
An additional conversion kick was unsuccessful.
South Korea also benefited from another Hong Kong player being sent off for 10 minutes following receiving a yellow card.
Korea, with two more players, approached the opponent’s in-goal area with their passwork at the fore, but failed every try because of a blockade of meat defense.
In the 32nd minute of the first half, captain Kim Gwang-min, who sprinted from the left flank, entered the opponent’s in-goal area for the first time, but was caught by the Hong Kong defense and might not hit the ball on the ground.
Hong Kong, who counterattacked with five minutes left in the first half, allowed a second try.
Hong Kong succeeded in the conversion kick, and the score gap widened to 0-15.
Korea counterattacked with a successful first try in the 5th minute of the second half.
The ball kicked to the left flank was caught by Kim Kwang-min with a quick foot and passed to Choi Seung-deok, who jumped into the center, and Choi Seung-deok sprinted into the space without a defense and hit the ball in the in-goal area.
Korea, who even added a conversion kick, caught up 7-15.
In the 20th minute of the second half, Oh Ji-myung succeeded in taking a penalty kick from an opponent’s foul, adding three more points.
Then, three minutes later, he made the second try with an attack that took advantage of the numerical advantage, and tied the score 15-15.
When Korea, who was attacking from the right flank, quickly changed the direction of attack to the other side, Kim Gwang-min, who was waiting at the left touchline, rushed in like a deuk-dal, and jumped into the in-goal area to shoot the ball.
In the 29th minute of the second half, Oh Ji-myung scored another penalty kick, 18-15, and succeeded in the first comeback.
Two minutes later, Hong Kong’s Nathan De Thierry allowed a third try at the end of the sprint and the game turned 18-20 once more, but Oh Ji-myung also scored a third penalty from an opponent’s foul and turned it back to 21-20 once more to win. placed on
However, just before the end of the game, he allowed a penalty kick while blocking Hong Kong from pushing in with a foul force, and in the end, he conceded three points to lose 21-23.
/yunhap news
