Tackles, Tries, and Tiny Ruggers: Laureus Stars Bring the Game to Life at EdUHK

Athletes ran with the ball, passed to their teammates, tackled opponents to halt their advance, drove play towards the other team's territory, and scored by touching down in the try area. Cheering fans lined the sides of the pitch. Yet this was not one of the matches from the 50th anniversary of the Hong Kong Sevens, recently held at Kai Tak Stadium. Instead, it was a friendly match between two teams made up entirely of Primary 3 to 6 students from the Education University of Hong Kong Jockey Club Primary School (香港教育大學賽馬會小學), played on the football pitch at EdUHK’s Tai Po campus. The match was a collaborative event organised by “Laureus Sport for Good, Hong Kong China” and EdUHK’s Department of Health and Physical Education (HPE).

“We are very delighted to have Laureus Sport for Good ambassadors Corné Krige, retired South African rugby team captain, and Anthony Watson, former professional England Rugby Union player, coming to EdUHK to play with the primary schoolers. Despite the limited time, Corné and Anthony took great pleasure in coaching and competing along with the junior athletes. The young ruggers, for their part, were thrilled to learn from and play alongside seasoned professionals,” said Dr Gary Chow Chi-ching, Associate Professor of HPE. Laureus is an international organisation dedicated to championing sporting excellence and transforming the lives of children and young people through sport.

Also joining the session was legendary Chinese gymnast Li Xiaopeng, winner of sixteen world championships, including four Olympic gold medals. Having retired from the sport in 2009, Xiaopeng joined the Laureus World Sports Academy in 2014 and remains a member to this day. Drawing on his own experiences, he spoke with students from the EdUHK Jockey Club Primary School about how sport builds people up both physically and psychologically, and encouraged them to take up a sport early to reap its full benefits.

During the one-hour coaching session on 14 April 2026, students from the primary school were divided into two teams. They began with touch-and-pass warm-up exercises before taking part in a friendly rugby match, with Corné and Anthony each heading one of the two teams. Inspired by the former professionals in their midst, the students gave everything on the pitch. Both sides produced spectacular runs, charging forward and touching down to secure their scores, and the match ended in a one-all draw. Students from HPE’s Bachelor of Science (Honours) in Sports Science and Coaching (BSc(SPSC)) programme assisted throughout the warm-up and the match.

Corné praised the primary schoolers for their full commitment during the match and encouraged them to keep playing rugby. Dr Gary Chow thanked Laureus Sport for Good, Hong Kong China for co-organising the event and sending three superstars from rugby and gymnastics to EdUHK to coach and share their experiences. He also expressed his gratitude to Ms Cheng Lok-tung and Vice-headmistress Ms Lai Yuet-Wah of the EdUHK Jockey Club Primary School for bringing their students to participate. “The cooperation between the three parties—HPE, Laureus Sport for Good Hong Kong China, and the primary school—generated a great deal of synergy: HPE students gained the opportunity to practise coaching techniques, Laureus promoted sports to young people, and the primary students discovered rugby,” Dr Chow said.

Following the coaching session on the pitch, the Laureus ambassadors joined an HPE seminar attended by faculty members and students. The former athletic superstars spoke about what sport had taught them, how they recovered from low periods in their careers, and how they handled negative comments from the public. Read the related article for more on the seminar.