[Phnom Penh, Cambodia, 28 June 2010]: The HSBC Asian 5 Nations 2010 has come to a close as Laos defended its regional title with a 12-3 victory over Cambodia, the hosts of the HSBC A5N 2010 Southeast Asian regional tournament on Saturday (26 June).

The game was the 30th men’s test match played in 11 cities in 10 countries over the past 11 weeks, bringing the curtain down on a tremendously successful Asian 5 Nations campaign in 2010. This year’s series has been marked by continuous improvement in the quality of rugby and increasing parity amongst the teams, as was evidenced in the close results of this year’s regional tournament, which also featured Brunei.

After winning last year’s HSBC A5N regional in Souvannakhet, Lao PDR, Laos came to Phnom Penh in the favourites role and was again the team of the tournament in 2010. Brunei meanwhile moved up from 3rd spot in 2009 to runners-up this year after an opening win (10-9) over the hosts.

Laos ended Brunei’s dream of taking its first ever A5N title on Wednesday (June 23) after flyhalf Chris Mastoglio paced the defending champs to a 25-3 win over the Bruneians. Mastoglio’s six penalties were the clear difference on the day, keeping the match effectively out of reach of the Brunei side.

But on Saturday for the big match versus Cambodia, Mastoglio was out with illness, which helped level the table in a close-run encounter between these two frequent competitors. The score line was within a penalty for the majority of the game with Laos only running out comfortable winners after their second try of the game in the 78th minute.

The first half saw the hosts post the only points through a penalty to Cambodian skipper and fly half Ratana Pich. But the hosts were left to rue a missed opportunity after not stretching the lead further despite having a man-advantage twice as two Lao players were sin-binned in the first half alone (15th and 25th minutes).

Having been granted a reprieve, Laos never looked back and came back with purpose in the second half. Centre Keohanam Mit Oudone scored the visitors’ first try of the match in the 55th minute. The failed conversion left the game in the balance at 5-3 Laos for almost the entirety of the second half.

The two teams fought each other to a standstill for the remainder of the game despite frenzied efforts to cross the line and the pitched exhortations of nearly 1,000 spectators baying for a Cambodian win.

But the hometown heroes’ hopes were dashed in the 78th minute when Laos flanker Phouttavanh Phouphet crossed over for Laos’ second try. The successful conversion from replacement flyhalf Chaleunesouk Anousith put the match away for good at 12-3 and saw Laos retain its HSBC A5N regional title for another year.

Laos was the undisputed victor of the HSBC A5N regional tournament finishing with 10 points from two wins, followed by Brunei with five points from its sole victory in Phnom Penh. The hosts Cambodia slipped a spot to 3rd place in 2010 after an unlucky 10-9 loss in the opening match left them with just a single bonus point for losing within a converted try.

As title sponsor of the A5N, HSBC is committed to the development of rugby throughout Asia. HSBC aims to bring positive social change to different cultures and communities through its diverse rugby sponsorships across the world. HSBC Rugby invests in over 30 different countries from the very pinnacle of the elite game through to the development of emerging rugby countries through the Asian 5 Nations. Each of HSBC’s rugby sponsorships share one common aim of uniting people and cultures through the positive values of rugby union.

HSBC is also a long-term sponsor of the Penguins International Rugby Club, which is represented by 30 nations and has provided coaching sessions to local communities in 62 countries. In partnership with ARFU and the HSBC Penguins Coaching Academy, HSBC supported a series of rugby coaching clinics throughout Hong Kong in the lead up to the A5N tournament. The commitment to grassroots development continued throughout the duration of the HSBC A5N with Youth Rugby Festivals reaching thousands of youth in Singapore, Japan, Hong Kong, Korea, Dubai, Bahrain, Jakarta, India, Cambodia and Nepal. Led by former Scotland head coach Frank Hadden, the clinics are supported by a team of HSBC Penguins and HSBC A5N coaches as well as team stars from several Asian nations.

Match 3 Scoring:

Laos (12): Phoutthavong Phouphet (1T), Keohanam Mit Oudone (1T), Chaleunesouk Anousith (1C)

Cambodia (3): Ratana Pich (1P)