Germany grind out win over Hong Kong

Germany’s battle with Canada on Saturday has become infinitely more intriguing after they defeated Hong Kong 26-9 in their opening round match of the World Cup Repechage competition. The scores were level until the final quarter when the Dragons began to crack under the pressure of the German forwards.

It was a dead heat after 40 minutes with both sides landing two penalty goals. Matt Rosslee and Raynor Parkinson exchanged with Rosslee adding a second and Christopher Hilsenbeck stepping in for a bloodied Parkinson just before the break.

The play itself went almost to script. Hong Kong were intent on running the ball but were forced to do so from their won end with the German kickers thumping the ball downfield relentlessly to keep the Dragons pinned in their own end. Salom Yiu had two clean breaks but desperate last-ditch tackles saved Germany on both occasions.

Parkinson nudged Germany ahead early in the second half but Rosslee matched his opponent soon after. For a third time Parkinson found his target and then came the turning point. The German scrum was on the ascendancy and the driving maul made inroads before replacement flanker Kane Boucaut was binned for deliberately collapsing.

With one extra forward the line began to bend and eventually it was Kurt Haupt, enjoying a dream debut for Germany, who broke through and raced in for the score. A second would come from another front row, replacement prop Matthias Schosser, before the final whistle sounded.

Hong Kong must now regroup and hope that Canada not only beat Germany but also tire themselves out. The Dragons will play Kenya on Saturday. Germany will face off against the Canucks with a spot at Rugby World Cup 2019 very much on the line.

 

SCORING

HONG KONG 9
Pens – M. Rosslee 2/3 (10’, 27’, 53’)
Yellow cards – K. Boucaut (62’)

GERMANY 26
Tries – K. Haupt (66’), M. Schösser (76’)
Cons – R. Parkinson 2/2 (67’, 77’)
Pens – R. Parkinson 3/4 (22’, 49’, 61’), C. Hilsenbeck 1/1 (38’), J. Murphy 0/1

 

TEAMS

HONG KONG
1 Dan Barlow (17 Ben Higgins 51’), 2 Dayne Jans (16 Ben Roberts 65’), 3 Grant Kemp (18 Jack Parfitt 51’), 4 James Cunningham (capt.), 5 Jack Delaforce (19 Fin Field 57’), 6 Michael Parfitt (20 Kane Boucaut 57’), 7 Mike Coverdale, 8, Thomas Lamboley, 9 Liam Slatem (21 Bryn Phillips 79’), 10 Matt Rosslee (22 Jamie Hood 72’), 11 Conor Hartley, 12 Max Woodward, 13 Tyler Spitz (23 Lewis Warner 72’), 14 Salom Yiu, 15 Casey Stone

GERMANY
1 Julius Nostadt (17 Jörn Schröder 64’), 2 Kurt Haupt (16 Dasch Barber 78’), 3 Samy Füchsel (18 Matthias Schösser 51’), 4 Michael Poppmeier (capt.) (20 Ayron Schramm 60’), 5 Eric Marks (19 Timo Vollenkemper 75’), 6 Sebastian Ferreira, 7 Jaco Otto, 8 Jarrid Els (22 John Dawe 72’), 9 Sean Armstrong, 10 Raynor Parkinson (21 Tim Menzel 35’-HT), 11 Mathieu Ducau (23 Carlos Soteras-Merz 28’), 12 Jamie Murphy, 13 Wynston Cameron-Dow, 14 Marcel Coetzee, 15 Christopher Hilsenbeck

 

MATCH OFFICIALS

Referee: Pascal Gaüzère (FFR)
Assistants: George Clancy (IRFU) & Sara Cox (RFU)
TMO: Olly Hodges (IRFU)