Tong Steps Down as Women’s Coach
15 February 2008
With head coach Gene Tong accepting the post of the Standard Chartered National Rugby Academy Manager (NRA), the national women's rugby team will see a change in the coaching staff for both the Women’s 7s and 15s teams.
Marcus Yeo, has been appointed as head coach to the Women's 7s & 15s teams. The change in head coach for the women’s squads will be a significant one given Tong’s contribution to Singapore women’s rugby over the past ten years.
Tong had begun his involvement with the two-year old national women's team in the late 1990s as assistant coach to then head coach, Warrick Moppett, and took over reigns as head coach from 2001-2005. In 2006 to 2007, he stepped down for personal reasons and was persuaded to take the 7s & 15s teams again in 2007.
With head coach Gene Tong accepting the post of the Standard Chartered National Rugby Academy Manager (NRA), the national women's rugby team will see a change in the coaching staff for both the Women’s 7s and 15s teams.
Marcus Yeo, has been appointed as head coach to the Women's 7s & 15s teams. The change in head coach for the women’s squads will be a significant one given Tong’s contribution to Singapore women’s rugby over the past ten years.
Tong had begun his involvement with the two-year old national women's team in the late 1990s as assistant coach to then head coach, Warrick Moppett, and took over reigns as head coach from 2001-2005. In 2006 to 2007, he stepped down for personal reasons and was persuaded to take the 7s & 15s teams again in 2007.
During his tenure, Tong took the women 7s team from the region’s whipping girls to the cup contenders in Asia. The women’s 7s squad reached their highest rankings in Asia (2nd in 2004, 3rd in 2005) under Tong’s charge and he recently led the team to their silver medal the 24th SEA Games 2007.
It appears Tong will also be missed at Saint Andrews, where he has been credited with the Saints rugby revival in their school’s “A”, “B” and “C” divisions. Tong was integral in the steering the Saints to their first “A” division win in 10 years and as a testimony to his caliber and popularity, has been nominated and won SSC’s Coach Recognition Awards for two years running (2006, 2007).
On his appointment as Academy Manager at the NRA, Tong said he was looking forward to the new challenge, "Talent Identification from the younger age groups will be crucial in terms of the development of skills, as Rugby is a late specialization sport."
“The National Women’s Team is one of the most dedicated teams that I have ever coached. They have grown from playing 7's to 15's, and the local club scene is slowly but surely taking form. I wish them the best, and I'm sure they can improve on their previous results under the charge of the highly capable Mr. Marcus Yeo.”
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