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SPORT AND RECREATION
the position of prestige it used to enjoy in Hong Kong. The Hong Kong Football Association formed what came to be known as a Policy and Planning Committee-a body comprising the President and three Vice Presidents which formulated the idea of an Open League, to include amateur players, non-amateur players as defined by FIFA (Fédération Internationale de Football Association) and fully fledged professionals. A public opinion poll on the subject was held and the results showed good support for the scheme. The proposition then went before the Hong Kong Football Association Council which endorsed it.
In international matches, Hong Kong teams held their own and only once lost a complete series. This was to a strong Swedish side which beat All Hong Kong 7-0, Hong Kong Selection 6-1 and the Combined Chinese 2 - 0. A combined West Berlin side played three matches in the Colony losing 3 - 2 and 4 - 2 to All Hong Kong and the Combined Chinese respectively. They beat Hong Kong Selection 2-0.
Karlsruhe, also from West Germany, lost to All Hong Kong by 4 - 3, drew with Hong Kong Selection 2 - 2 and then defeated Com- bined Chinese 3-0. Hong Kong later beat the Japanese National team by 5-3 and a Hong Kong Selection won against Selangor, the Malayan Inter-State champions, by 7-2. A Hong Kong XI drew 3-3 with the very fit American Los Angeles Kickers, and Hong Kong Selection held the Korean National side to a 1-1 draw.
Rugby enthusiasts had the opportunity of seeing something of the might of the famous New Zealand 'All Blacks' when they passed through the Colony en route to Europe in October. Although they were unable to play a match in Hong Kong because of a prior agreement with clubs on their European tour, they demonstrated their prowess during a training session at the Hong Kong Football Club ground which was enjoyed by a large crowd. The Club continues to dominate the rugby scene in the Colony but stronger opposition by the Police and the Army was anti- cipated during the 1963-4 season. The Army side looked particu- larly encouraging with reinforcements by men serving with the South Wales Borderers.
The Army won the two major Hong Kong cricket champion- ships in the 1962-3 season. The First Division team, under the captaincy of Frank Fenner, were given an extremely close fight by
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