This team is made up of fringe national players and newly qualified players as well as promising local players to play in matches that gives the coaching and management of the national side some new talent to consider. Rob made the squad along with 6 of his team mates and they have been busily training in the close season.

As part of that process, Hong Kong's A squad was invited by the Singapore Rugby Union to play in a tri nations tournament in Singapore this week. The other invited nation was Chinese Taipei, as Taiwan is known in international rugby.
Singapore is ranked 58th in the world rankings and Chinese Taipei is ranked 56th, so their encounter this Saturday in the final match of the tri nation series will be a ranking match. Sandwiched in between them is Philippines and a win for Singapore would move them up to 56th. Hong Kong is ranked 29th, hence the A side will have something to prove.

Hong Kong A would provide stern opposition for both countries ahead of that showdown with the opening game taking place last Sunday at Singapore's Yio Chu Kang stadium.
Rob started at outside centre in the high humid conditions of the equatorial island and the game proved highly entertaining for the neutrals as the lead changed hands 7 times before Hong Kong finally beat off the local challenge with 2 tries in the last 10 minutes to win 35-25
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With a rest on Monday, the squad trained on Tuesday before taking to the field on Wednesday against Chinese Taipei. Rob started at full back this time and it became apparent early on that Hong Kong was much more switched on for this game as the squad started to gel.
Rob scored a try in each half to help Hong Kong thrash the CT by 65-7, playing out the last 20 minutes with 14 men having used all their replacements.

The evening was completed with a buffet for all 3 teams and supporters at the Bungy Bar on the Singapore River. Singapore Rugby's president welcomed the sides, congratulated Hong Kong on their success and invited them back next year where it was hoped Singapore would host a 4 nation tournament. He went on to advise that next year they should be able to play in the new S$1,6 billion national stadium with a surface matched to Twickenham's and a roof to match the Millennium stadium.
With 600 million potential players in Asia, Singapore was looking to host the next World Cup 7s tournament in 2018 and tap into the growing interest in the game in Asia.

Rob has two brothers Gary and Liam who play for Leek 1st team , his parents John and Sheila are both well connected to the club with John playing many roles within the Club and County ..