Three Former Bears To Appear At Hong Kong Sevens
Kurihara (left), Webb (centre) and Walsh (proper) are set to compete within the 2022 Hong Kong Sevens.
Kurihara, Walsh and Webb named to the record from three completely different nations
HONG KONG – California Rugby can have three Blue & Gold representatives within the Hong Kong Sevens match happening from November 4-6 in Causeway Bay, Hong Kong. The iconic occasion, which often takes place within the spring, returns to the world stage in 2022 after a three-year hiatus as a result of COVID-19 pandemic.
Three former Golden Bears – Ken Kurihara ’20, Sam Walsh ’22 and Russell Webb ’17 – have been named to groups from three completely different nations scheduled to play at HK 7. Kurihara will play for the Japan and Webb for the host crew in Hong Kong, whereas Walsh will make his first look as a USA Eagle since graduating from Cal final spring.
Kurihara was a two-time nationwide champion in his time at Cal. He was a part of the 2017 fifteens and sevens groups that received the Penn Mutual Varsity Cup and CRC 7s titles. The scrumhalf/flyhalf was a key participant and chief for the Bears, significantly within the shortened 2020 and 2021 seasons, when he performed in a mixed 11 video games and recorded 3 tries and 20 conversions.
Walsh was one other key element of the Bears’ beginning lineup in his time at Cal. As a 2018 freshman, Walsh made seven begins, together with within the 2018 nationwide championship sport towards Life University and within the nationwide semi-final towards Saint Mary’s, when he scored a try to went 4-for-4 on conversions. The flyhalf was additionally central to Cal’s current three-straight PAC 7 titles. His look with the USA Eagles this weekend will likely be his first time competing professionally in worldwide competitors since graduating in May of 2022.
Webb was a seven-time nationwide champion (5 in 7, two in XV) and a two-time first-team All-American in each XV and seven in his time as a Golden Bear. Webb was additionally named the 2016 National Championship Player of the Game and the PAC Player of the Year in his senior season. The former crew captain and fly-half led the crew to a sweep of the nationwide championships in 2017. In the 2017 nationwide championship he scored 18 factors with two tries, 4 conversions and a penalty conversion to assist the Bears to a 43-13 victory over Arkansas State . He then capped his collegiate profession with 60 factors scored (4 tries, 20 conversions) within the six-game CRC 7s match to guide the crew to victory. Webb has had a really energetic profession enjoying skilled rugby for Hong Kong since leaving Cal, together with captaining the crew on quite a few events, most lately on the Rugby World Cup Sevens match in September this yr.
“The Hong Kong Sevens is such an important sporting experience,” Cal coach Jack Clark mentioned. “What a great honor it is for this trio to represent their countries. All told, it couldn’t happen to our university’s best young people and graduates. We are so proud of them.”
Walsh and Kurihara will go head-to-head on the second day of pool play on the HK 7s, when Team USA takes on Team Japan at 11:50 PM ET. The full tour schedule could be discovered right here. Fans can watch the occasion stay on Peacock.
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