Courtesy of the HKRFU

FM hails Hong Kong, Scotland sporting partnership

First Minister announces CashBack link-up with HK’s Operation Breakthrough
Two innovative schemes from opposite ends of the globe that use sport to provide diversionary activities for young people are to link up and co-operate in their efforts to reduce crime and give children the best start in life, First Minister Alex Salmond announced today during his visit to Hong Kong.

The First Minister confirmed that the Scottish Government’s CashBack for Communities Programme and Hong Kong’s Operation Breakthrough initiative will work together, sharing experience and learning valuable lessons as they seek to lower youth offending and promote healthy lifestyles.

Both initiatives run extensive rugby coaching sessions as part of a series of diversionary activities to help keep young people out of trouble and provide them with positive role models in life.
The announcement was made on a visit to the HK Police Sports & Recreation Club, where the First Minister joined Hong Kong’s Secretary for Home Affairs Mr Tsang Tak-sing to watch young people from Operation Breakthrough play rugby sevens – a game invented Scotland and now played globally, notably in Hong Kong.
The First Minister also announced that, as part of this new sporting partnership, the Scotland Sevens squad will travel to Hong Kong early, ahead of their appearance at the IRB World Sevens event in March 2012, to run coaching sessions and workshops for local young people.
The First Minister also confirmed that Hong Kong Scottish has been admitted as an associate member of the SRU, deepening yet further the sporting ties between the city and Scotland that are driven by a thriving ex-pat community.
The partnerships announced today build on an agreement struck during a recent visit to Edinburgh by Hong Kong Chief Executive Donald Tsang to strengthen sporting ties between Scotland and the city, particularly where there are wider community benefits.
First Minister Alex Salmond said:
“Sport is a power for enormous good among young people, giving them positive role models, keeping them fit and teaching them about teamwork, discipline and fair play.
“That is why sport plays a key role in our immensely successful CashBack for Communities Programme, which uses money confiscated from criminals to broaden the horizons of thousands of youngsters through hundreds of activities throughout Scotland.
“An important strand of that work is the use of rugby sevens as a powerful coaching tool in the Scottish Rugby CashBack Schools of Rugby programme and I am delighted to announce today that rugby will form the key part of a new partnership between CashBack and the hugely impressive Operation Breakthrough here in Hong Kong.
“As I have seen today in Hong Kong, sevens rugby has travelled a very long way since it was invented by Ned Haig in Melrose in 1883. I am sure he would be shocked to see just how big the game has grown in the 128 years since, not least here in Hong Kong, which has become the pinnacle of this version of the game on the international stage.
“This heritage makes rugby sevens an entirely fitting way for us to mark the beginning of this partnership to forge even closer sporting links between Scotland and Hong Kong. The developing relationship between Scottish Rugby, CashBack and the Hong Kong RFU will enhance rugby both home and here and benefit both communities.
“I am therefore delighted that the co-operation between these two great initiatives will be kicked off by an early appearance by the Scotland Sevens squad, who will travel to Hong Kong early ahead of next year’s World Sevens tournament, to help Operation Breakthrough coach local kids.
“By sharing this expertise and experience, I am sure that both CashBack and Operation Breakthrough can make even greater strides in their work to engage local young people through rugby and other sports, and in so doing help them to make positive life choices, reduce youth-related crime and antisocial behaviour and support safer, stronger communities.”
“We are also investing in the game back home. I’m delighted to confirm that the HSBC World Sevens Series that Scotland are involved in is moving to Glasgow ahead of the city’s Commonwealth Games in 2014. The move from its traditional home in Edinburgh to the Scotstoun Stadium will bring the game of sevens to a whole new audience and will again show Scotland’s biggest city on the global stage.”
Mr Tsang added: “We welcome the strengthening of sporting links between Scotland and Hong Kong, and in particular the new partnership between Scottish Rugby, CashBack and the HKRFU, which will benefit young people in both places. The HKRFU has taken tremendous strides in developing rugby throughout the community, and it is a feather in their cap that they have received such recognition from Scottish Rugby, which is one of the world’s leading rugby unions. “
“The sport of rugby sevens has branched out significantly from its original roots in Scotland. We like to think of Hong Kong being seen as sevens’ “second home”, given the international popularity of our annual rugby sevens tournament. I am delighted that the Scotland Sevens squad will be here in advance of the 2012 tournament to help coach young people in Hong Kong, and I am sure that we will see strong local support for Scotland at next year’s sevens.”
Mark Dodson, Chief Executive of Scottish Rugby, with the First Minister in Hong Kong said:
“Scotland is the home of Sevens but the announcements today by the First Minister show what global reach the sport now has. We know that rugby helps young people become healthier and stronger; teaches motivation, teamwork, camaraderie and commitment. We’re committed to spreading that message from Melrose to Hong Kong and everywhere in between. The developing relationship between Scottish Rugby and the Hong Kong RFU will enhance the sport in both countries,

The co-operation between CashBack and Operation Breakthrough will initially see Hong Kong representatives travel to Scotland to observe the work of the Scottish Government scheme - which has so far seen more than £44m, confiscated from criminals, invested in sporting, artistic, outdoor, mentoring and community activities and projects that have now benefited over 600, 000 young people Scotland-wide.
As the partnership develops, it is expected that CashBack representatives will visit Hong Kong to learn about Operation Breakthrough, a burgeoning initiative set up by police officers to tackle crime among young people by offering coaching in sports such as rugby, basketball and boxing.
Further information on CashBack is available here - http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/Justice/public-safety/17141/cashback
Further information on Operation Breakthrough is available here - http://www.breakthrough.hk/

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