“Day one didn’t quite go right, but we had to pick ourselves up, come back stronger and better, and take out the teams that were left to take a trophy home for Samurai.”

- Luke Crocker

Samurai win the Bowl at the Hong Kong 10s with a 25-7 win over Irish Vikings. Samurai who were Cup runners-up in 2010, 2013 and 2016, were in unfamiliar territory in the third-tier Bowl. They did manage to finish with a flourish as they beat Irish Vikings 25-7 in the final.

Samurai lost to eventual Cup winners UBB Gavekal in the group after starting with a 43 win over China. Needing a win in their third and final group game Samurai suffered a shock defeat to Scottish Exiles which ended their cup aspirations for another year.

Captain Luke Crocker, a former Wales Sevens forward, was delighted with the team’s winning run on day two after the second seeds suffered two pool-stage defeats on Wednesday.

“We wanted the Cup after just missing out last year and the effort everyone put in,” said Crocker, representing Samurai for the third straight year in Hong Kong.

“Day one didn’t quite go right, but we had to pick ourselves up, come back stronger and better, and take out the teams that were left to take a trophy home for Samurai.”