Despite failing to qualify for the Rugby World Seven Series after coming short against Chile 15 – 12 in qualifiers of the 2019 Hong Kong Sevens last week, the Tonga Rugby Sevens captured the hearts of many for their show of compassion when they knelt in prayer around Jonathan Mo (23), a former Hong Kong rugby player battling a serious heart condition.

According to the South China Morning Post, Jonathan Mo was taken away by the empathy of the Tongan camp.

“They didn’t even know me but they were doing all these things for me,” Mo told the newspaper.

“It was a really fresh experience. For me especially, seeing these boys have got their dream and I got my rugby dream destroyed. But I got a chance to step on the pitch, my home pitch,” Mo said. “I can’t explain the feeling.”

“To do it to a stranger, they never knew me, they never met me, but they do it all just to make me feel like pushing on, not giving in. It’s incredible.”

As teenager, Mo was top prospect for Hong Kong rugby, having secured a trial with a professional rugby club in Japan. His ambitions were dashed after collapsing from a cardiac condition.

Prior to the beginning of the Hong Kong seven, the Tonga seven’s liasion official Ben Wong reached out, inviting him to the Tongan camp where the Tonga Sevens team surrounded Mo and prayed for a quick recovery.

The Tongan generosity was in full swing, with the camp providing a ticket to Ben Wong, to attend the Rugby Sevens tournament. The team even transported him to the stadium on their bus and invited him to accompany them in their team parade.

In the Hong Kong Sevens tournament, Tonga played Hong Kong, narrowly losing 19 – 12. It was a bitter sweet moment for Mo who stated that he was supporting Tonga 60 per cent and Hong Kong 40 per cent.