Rugby has topped the agenda during the First Minister, Alex Salmond’s, ongoing visit to Hong Kong.During a full day of rugby activity, the First Minister announced that two innovative schemes from opposite ends of the globe that use rugby and other sports to provide diversionary activities for young people are to link up in their efforts to reduce crime and give children the best start in life.Scottish Rugby Chief Executive, Mark Dodson said: “It’s great to be developing this new relationship with Hong Kong and the south east Asian business community through the international language of rugby. Earlier this year, Hong Kong Scottish RFC came into being as Scotland’s newest rugby club. To mark its associate membership of the Scottish Rugby Union, Scottish Rugby’s Chief Executive, Mark Dodson, and Director of Communications & Public Affairs, Dominic McKay, presented the club with their membership certificate.He confirmed that the Scottish Government’s CashBack for Communities programme and Hong Kong’s similar Operation Breakthrough initiative will work together, sharing experience and learning valuable lessons as they both seek to lower youth offending and promote healthy lifestyles.The announcement was made on a visit to the Hong Kong Police Sports & Recreation Club, where the First Minister joined Hong Kong’s Secretary for Home Affairs Mr Tsang Tak-sing and representatives from Scottish Rugby to watch young people from Operation Breakthrough play rugby sevens – a game invented in Scotland and now played globally, notably in Hong Kong.The First Minister also announced that, as part of this new sporting partnership, the Scotland 7s squad will travel to Hong Kong early, ahead of their appearance at the HSBC Sevens World Series event in March 2012, to run coaching sessions and workshops for local young people. Scottish Rugby Chief Executive, Mark Dodson said: “It’s great to be developing this new relationship with Hong Kong and the south east Asian business community through the international language of rugby.”This kicks off a variety of rugby and commercial opportunities for both our organisation and the Scottish Government and extends Scottish Rugby’s global reach.”First Minister Alex Salmond said: “Sport is a power for enormous good among young people, giving them positive role models, keeping them fit and teaching them about teamwork, discipline and fair play.”That is why sport plays a key role in our immensely successful CashBack for Communities Programme, which uses money confiscated from criminals to broaden the horizons of thousands of youngsters through hundreds of activities throughout Scotland.”As I have seen today, sevens rugby has travelled a very long way since it was invented by Ned Haig in Melrose in 1883. This heritage makes rugby sevens an entirely fitting way for us to mark the beginning of this partnership to forge even closer sporting links between Scotland and Hong Kong. “We are also investing in the game back home.  I’m delighted to confirm that the HSBC Sevens World Series that Scotland are involved in is moving to Glasgow ahead of the city’s Commonwealth Games in 2014.  The move from its traditional home in Edinburgh to the Scotstoun Stadium will bring the game of sevens to a whole new audience and will again show Scotland’s biggest city on the global stage.”Scottish Rugby’s Director of Communications and Public Affairs, Dominic McKay underlined his thanks to the Scottish Government and added: “We are extremely grateful to the First Minister and colleagues for their continued support of Scottish Rugby and the game at all levels.”We are particularly appreciative of the Scottish Government’s backing for sevens as we look to promote the game, which was created in Melrose, around the world and to work with partners to showcase the best of sevens rugby with the home of sevens in Scotland, in the run up to the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow in 2014.”The co-operation between CashBack and Operation Breakthrough will initially see Hong Kong representatives travel to Scotland to observe the work of the Scottish Government scheme which has, to date, seen more than£44m, confiscated from criminals, invested in sporting, artistic, outdoor, mentoring and community activities and projects that have now benefited over 600,000 young people across Scotland.As the partnership develops, it is expected that CashBack representatives will visit Hong Kong to learn about Operation Breakthrough, a burgeoning initiative set up by police officers to tackle crime among young people by offering coaching in sports such as rugby, basketball and boxing. Find out more about CashBack Find out more about Operation Breakthrough The launch of Hong Kong Scottish follows in the footsteps of exiled Scots in London who, over a century ago, formed London Scottish FC. Supported by London Scottish, the new Hong Kong Scottish team will proudly wear the London Scottish badge and share their colours (red, white and blue) as a mark of the relationship. Scottish rugby legend, Gavin Hastings has also added his weight to the project and will be a key figure in the club moving forward.To mark the launch of Hong Kong Scottish, the team played in the Melrose Rugby Sevens in early April 2011 and enjoyed their first home game, in the domestic Premiership Division, in October. The club is committed to supporting the development of rugby locally in Hong Kong, and will be providing coaching support to a number of schools as well as Flying Kukris and Tin Shui Wai Eagles youth rugby clubs.The penultimate leg of this season’s HSBC Sevens World Series will be held at Scotstoun Stadium over the weekend of 5/6 May 2012. For more details and ticket information please see the web site at www.glasgow7s.com