Connect and inspire: GB team scrum with young students

Jamie Liu and Ayra Wang

Great Britain's women's team hope to inspire the next generation as they travel to tournaments around the world, including taking part in spirited rugby games with Hong Kong students ahead of the Cathay/HSBC Sevens.

The team joined around 80 pupils from two special needs schools - PLK Anita LL Chan (Centenary) School and Po Leung Kuk Yu Lee Mo Fan Memorial School - and a mainstream school, PLK Grandmont Primary School in Tsz Wan Shan on Tuesday.

Lo Ka-him, a student with special educational needs, and Bonnie Ou, nine-year-old from the mainstream school, both enjoyed the game very much.

"I am happy that I get to pass the ball to them [the players] and run alongside them," Ou said.

Team captain Emma Uren said her team were delighted to see all the kids getting along well and staying active.

"Sports is so special because it brings people together, you don't have to speak the same language, you can actually experience it through action," Uren said.

"We are very lucky to do this [play rugby] as a career, but sometimes they might look up to us and go, 'this might be an option for me.' It might not be rugby, it could be following [other] dreams as well."

Team manager Sean Lamont said the experience allowed the team to give back to the community.

"For me, it's about being humble, basically. We can make a difference, a big impact, on the kids' life, just five minutes of their time."

Rocky Chow, executive director of Rugby For Good, a Hong Kong community-led foundation, said this is a buddy program aimed to bring together SEN and mainstream pupils through rugby, "with an aim to build friendship and teach them support."

He said the players are role models and fire up the children's confidence.

The players also expressed excitement about playing at the new Kai Tak Stadium.

"We can't wait to experience it," Uren said.

Residents living near the Kai Tak Sports Park, meanwhile, will not be disrupted by noise during the Sevens, the Environmental Protection Department reassured.

Law Chi-wing, senior environmental protection officer, said the main stadium, where the event will be held from today to Sunday, was designed with noise mitigation as a priority.

"The roof and walls have special soundproofing that cuts noise by about 40 decibels on average," Law said.

Noise will remain within acceptable levels when the stadium's roof is open on Saturday and Sunday, according to Lee Chee-kwan, principal environmental protection officer of assessment and noise.