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PREMIERSHIP WINNER EASTER JOINS STELLAR SQUAD
08 June 2012
PREMIERSHIP WINNER EASTER JOINS STELLAR SQUAD
Harlequins and England No.8 Nick Easter will bring his Premiership-winning
skills to Hong Kong this week as part of the powerful BGC APBs squad that
will take on Saracens in the Chartis Cup .
Easter joins an awesome group of back-row specialists that already includes
All Blacks icon Jerry Collins, Samoa's Henry Tuilagi, Japan legend Takuro
Miuchi and 100-cap Wales hero Martyn Williams.
A trio of stars who play for the Blues in Super Rugby have also been
confirmed for the BGC APBs - props Pauliasi Manu and Angus Ta'avao along
with centre Francis Saili, who made a stunning impact in Saturday's
performance against the Chiefs.
Another world-class addition is hooker Mahonri Schwalger, Samoa's captain
during last year's Rugby World Cup and a key player for the high-flying
Chiefs in the current Super Rugby campaign.
Local rugby will be represented by Hong Kong Football Club and national team
scrumhalf Pete McKee.
Easter, capped 47 times by England and a veteran of the 2007 and 2011 World
Cups, joins up with the BGC APBs after playing a key role for Harlequins in
their English Premiership triumph.
Also arriving in Hong Kong on a high will be Wales winger Shane Williams and
Samoa scrumhalf Kahn Fotuali'i, fresh from helping Ospreys land the
RaboDirect PRO12 title.
"We've assembled a squad of proven winners," said BGC APBs chairman Jon
Phelps. "We have World Cup veterans, seasoned test performers, and some of
the most exciting talents in Super Rugby and northern hemisphere rugby."
Other big names in the BGC APBs line-up include All Blacks quartet Mils
Muliaina, Sitiveni Sivivatu, Rico Gear and Troy Flavell, Fijian flyer
Vilimoni Delasau and Samoa's 2011 World Cup centre Seilala Mapusua.
World Cup winner Muliaina, Mapusua and former Japan captain Miuchi were all
members of the BGC APBs squad that triumphed in the GFI HKFC Tens in March.
The BGC APBs will take on Saracens in the Chartis Cup at 6:00pm this
Saturday (9 June) at Hong Kong Stadium.
For Saracens, former England skipper Steve Borthwick will lead a powerful
team that includes 2007 World Cup-winning Springbok captain John Smit and
England internationals Richard Wigglesworth and Hugh Vyvyan.
The Chartis Cup will be the centrepiece of a day-long rugby festival at Hong
Kong Stadium and nearby So Kon Po Sports Ground that will feature minis and
veterans tournaments plus a family-friendly Rugby Village at the Indian
Recreation Club for which admission is free.
Tickets for the Chartis Cup - priced $300 for adults and $50 for children -
can be purchased online at www.hkticketing.com < http://www.hkticketing.com/ >
or by calling the HK Ticketing hotline on 31288288. Fans can also buy in
person from HK Ticketing's box offices and Tom Lee Music stores. More
information can be found at www.chartiscup.com < http://www.chartiscup.com/ >
BGC APBs squad
Props: Deacon Manu (Llanelli Scarlets and Fiji), Pauliasi Manu (Auckland
Blues), Angus Ta'avao (Auckland Blues), Tonga Lea'atoa (Tonga).
Hookers: Mahonri Schwalger (Chiefs and Samoa), Vili Ma'asi (London Welsh and
Tonga).
Locks: Troy Flavell (Bayonne and New Zealand), Sione Timani (Llanelli
Scarlets and Tonga), Finau Tupa (Tonga A).
Back row: Jerry Collins (Yamaha and New Zealand), Henry Tuilagi (Perpignan
and Samoa), Takuro Miuchi (NTT Docomo and Japan), Martyn Williams (Cardiff
Blues and Wales), Nick Easter (Harlequins and England).
Scrumhalves: Kahn Fotuali'i (Ospreys and Samoa), Pete McKee (HKFC and Hong
Kong).
Standoffs/Centres: Francis Saili (Auckland Blues), Seru Rabeni (La Rochelle
and Fiji), Rico Gear (Kintetsu Liners and New Zealand), Seilala Mapusua
(Kubota Steel and Samoa), Elvis Seveali'i (Samoa).
Wingers/Fullbacks: Alesana Tuilagi (Leicester and Samoa), Shane Williams
(Ospreys and Wales), Vilimoni Delasau (Fiji), Sitiveni Sivivatu (Clermont
and New Zealand), Mils Muliaina (NTT Docomo and New Zealand).
Head coach: Pat Lam
Assistants: Orene Ai'i, Hale T-Pole, Epi Taione, Fereti Tuilagi, Sililo
Martens.
BGC ABPs spokesperson: George Smith.
Harlequins and England No.8 Nick Easter will bring his Premiership-winning
skills to Hong Kong this week as part of the powerful BGC APBs squad that
will take on Saracens in the Chartis Cup .
Easter joins an awesome group of back-row specialists that already includes
All Blacks icon Jerry Collins, Samoa's Henry Tuilagi, Japan legend Takuro
Miuchi and 100-cap Wales hero Martyn Williams.
A trio of stars who play for the Blues in Super Rugby have also been
confirmed for the BGC APBs - props Pauliasi Manu and Angus Ta'avao along
with centre Francis Saili, who made a stunning impact in Saturday's
performance against the Chiefs.
Another world-class addition is hooker Mahonri Schwalger, Samoa's captain
during last year's Rugby World Cup and a key player for the high-flying
Chiefs in the current Super Rugby campaign.
Local rugby will be represented by Hong Kong Football Club and national team
scrumhalf Pete McKee.
Easter, capped 47 times by England and a veteran of the 2007 and 2011 World
Cups, joins up with the BGC APBs after playing a key role for Harlequins in
their English Premiership triumph.
Also arriving in Hong Kong on a high will be Wales winger Shane Williams and
Samoa scrumhalf Kahn Fotuali'i, fresh from helping Ospreys land the
RaboDirect PRO12 title.
"We've assembled a squad of proven winners," said BGC APBs chairman Jon
Phelps. "We have World Cup veterans, seasoned test performers, and some of
the most exciting talents in Super Rugby and northern hemisphere rugby."
Other big names in the BGC APBs line-up include All Blacks quartet Mils
Muliaina, Sitiveni Sivivatu, Rico Gear and Troy Flavell, Fijian flyer
Vilimoni Delasau and Samoa's 2011 World Cup centre Seilala Mapusua.
World Cup winner Muliaina, Mapusua and former Japan captain Miuchi were all
members of the BGC APBs squad that triumphed in the GFI HKFC Tens in March.
The BGC APBs will take on Saracens in the Chartis Cup at 6:00pm this
Saturday (9 June) at Hong Kong Stadium.
For Saracens, former England skipper Steve Borthwick will lead a powerful
team that includes 2007 World Cup-winning Springbok captain John Smit and
England internationals Richard Wigglesworth and Hugh Vyvyan.
The Chartis Cup will be the centrepiece of a day-long rugby festival at Hong
Kong Stadium and nearby So Kon Po Sports Ground that will feature minis and
veterans tournaments plus a family-friendly Rugby Village at the Indian
Recreation Club for which admission is free.
Tickets for the Chartis Cup - priced $300 for adults and $50 for children -
can be purchased online at www.hkticketing.com < http://www.hkticketing.com/ >
or by calling the HK Ticketing hotline on 31288288. Fans can also buy in
person from HK Ticketing's box offices and Tom Lee Music stores. More
information can be found at www.chartiscup.com < http://www.chartiscup.com/ >
BGC APBs squad
Props: Deacon Manu (Llanelli Scarlets and Fiji), Pauliasi Manu (Auckland
Blues), Angus Ta'avao (Auckland Blues), Tonga Lea'atoa (Tonga).
Hookers: Mahonri Schwalger (Chiefs and Samoa), Vili Ma'asi (London Welsh and
Tonga).
Locks: Troy Flavell (Bayonne and New Zealand), Sione Timani (Llanelli
Scarlets and Tonga), Finau Tupa (Tonga A).
Back row: Jerry Collins (Yamaha and New Zealand), Henry Tuilagi (Perpignan
and Samoa), Takuro Miuchi (NTT Docomo and Japan), Martyn Williams (Cardiff
Blues and Wales), Nick Easter (Harlequins and England).
Scrumhalves: Kahn Fotuali'i (Ospreys and Samoa), Pete McKee (HKFC and Hong
Kong).
Standoffs/Centres: Francis Saili (Auckland Blues), Seru Rabeni (La Rochelle
and Fiji), Rico Gear (Kintetsu Liners and New Zealand), Seilala Mapusua
(Kubota Steel and Samoa), Elvis Seveali'i (Samoa).
Wingers/Fullbacks: Alesana Tuilagi (Leicester and Samoa), Shane Williams
(Ospreys and Wales), Vilimoni Delasau (Fiji), Sitiveni Sivivatu (Clermont
and New Zealand), Mils Muliaina (NTT Docomo and New Zealand).
Head coach: Pat Lam
Assistants: Orene Ai'i, Hale T-Pole, Epi Taione, Fereti Tuilagi, Sililo
Martens.
BGC ABPs spokesperson: George Smith.