Category: May

European Tour Sevens Squads Announced

Ahead of a two-month-long European Tour the Hong Kong Rugby Union has announced the men’s and women’s Sevens squads.

The tour includes tournaments in England and Portugal, (the squad’s first international competition since last November) and offers HKRU sevens coach Paul John a chance to restart Hong Kong’s rugby journey ahead of a busy international season which includes the Rugby World Cup Sevens in South Africa, the Asian Games (Hangzhou, Sept.), Rugby World Series qualifiers (Aug.), and the Hong Kong Sevens (Nov.).

Training in the United Kingdom also offers the opportunity to enter both squads into two events on the upcoming UK Super Sevens Series and the international sevens warm-up tournament in the Algarve in Portugal.

The squads feature most of Hong Kong’s top sevens players – including Max Woodward, Melody Li, Natasha Olson-Thorne, Max Denmark, Chong Ka-yan and ex-Hong Kong sprinter Hui Manling – as well as uncapped players looking to make an impact.

After months of no rugby, there is an essential need among both squads for warm-up games with international opposition to prepare and get match fit for the demanding upcoming tournament schedule which culminates (hopefully) with Hong Kong Sevens in early November.

hk women rugby 2022

HKRU Mens’s Sevens training squad (European Tour, Spring Summer 2022)

HKRU Men’s Sevens training squad 2022

HKRU Women’s Sevens training squad (European Tour, Spring Summer 2022)

HKRU Women’s Sevens training squad 2022

Additional reporting and images: HKRU, Asia Rugby

Mirror Live in Concert Summer 2022

Wildly-popular local boy band MIRROR has announced their first concerts at the Hong Kong Coliseum. The 10 gig MIRROR.WE.ARE tour takes place 25-31 July 27 – 31 and 2-4 August 2-4 this year. Tickets are $1,280, $880, $480 and are on sale from 4 May 2022.

https://youtu.be/1iaaxf76GZ8

Mirror.We.Are Live 2022
Mirror
Date: 8:15pm, 25-31 July, 2-4 August 2022
Venue: HK Coliseum
Tickets: $1,280, $880, $480

Kitchee Advance in Asian Champions League

Kitchee became the first Hong Kong team ever to reach the AFC Champions League knock-out stage. An injury-time equaliser secured a 2-2 draw on Sunday with Vissel Kobe.

When Yoshinori Muto scored in the 87th minute to put Vissel 2-1 ahead, Kichee’s chance of progressing looked remote. But as they have done throughout the tournament Kitchee dug deep and Raul Baena scored with a header in the 91st minute to earn the point needed to progress.

image: AFP/Asian Football Federation

UAE Beat Hong Kong by 9 Wickets in the Fourth Women’s T20i, 30 April, 2022

On the Hong Kong Women’s tour of United Arab Emirates, the UAE Women made it a sweep of the four-game T20 series beating Hong Kong Women by 9 wickets at the Malek Cricket Ground, 30 April 2022.

Hong Kong Women v UAE Women T20i cricket - 30 April 2022

UAE Women T20i cricket - 30 April 2022

images: HKcricket

Two Extra Hotels Added to Fourth Cycle Quarantine Hotels

On the 3 June the HK Government, to help with increased demand, added two extra hotels to the list of designated Hong Kong quarantine hotels for the period 22 June – 20 August 2021 (fourth cycle) taking the total available to 33.

The two new hotels are Crowne Plaza Hong Kong Causeway Bay and Sheraton Hong Kong Hotel and Towers.

The list of designated hotels in the fourth cycle and related details such as room rates have been uploaded to www.coronavirus.gov.hk/eng/designated-hotel.html

Or download the pdf here

There is an excellent google docs form here about the various hotels including room prices, contact details, restrictions,

Central and Western District
1. Best Western Plus Hotel Hong Kong
2. CM+ Hotels & Serviced Apartments
3. Grand City Hotel
4. JEN Hong Kong by Shangri-La
5. Lan Kwai Fong Hotel @ Kau U Fong
6. One-Eight-One Hotel & Serviced Residences
7. Ramada Hong Kong Harbour View
8. The Landmark Mandarin Oriental

Hong Kong Eastern District
1. Ramada Hong Kong Grand View

Islands District
1. Four Points by Sheraton Hong Kong Tung Chung
2. Regal Airport Hotel

Kowloon City District
1. Bridal Tea House Hotel Hung Hom Gillies Avenue South
2. iclub Ma Tau Wai Hotel
3. Kerry Hotel, Hong Kong
4. Metropark Hotel Kowloon Hong Kong
5. Regal Oriental Hotel

Kwai Tsing District
1. Dorsett Tsuen Wan

Hong Kong Southern District
1. Nina Hotel Island South (Formerly L’hotel Island South)
2. Ovolo Southside

Tsuen Wan District
1. Silka Far East Hotel Hong Kong

Wan Chai District
1. Best Western Hotel Causeway Bay
2. Dorsett Wanchai Hong Kong
3. Hotel Indigo Hong Kong Island
4. Mira Moon Hotel
5. Vela Boutique Hotel
6. Eco Tree Hotel Causeway Bay
7. Crowne Plaza Hong Kong Causeway Bay

Wong Tai Sin District
1. Pentahotel Hong Kong

Kowloon Yau Tsim Mong District
1. Bridal Tea House Hotel Yau Ma Tei Wing Sing Lane
2. Dorsett Mongkok Hong Kong
3. Ramada Hong Kong Grand
4. Silka Seaview Hotel Hong Kong
5. Sheraton Hong Kong Hotel and Towers

Lunar Eclipse

The lunar eclipse on Wednesday 26 May was beautiful if often obscured by clouds.

Here’s a video of the eclipse from the HK Observatory if you missed it…. Skip through to minute 35.

https://youtu.be/c2b_h9Ufaxw

The next lunar eclipse observable in Hong Kong will be a partial lunar eclipse on 19 November, 2021.

New Quarantine Hotel List Announced: 22 June – 20 August, 2021

An updated list of 31 designated Hong Kong quarantine hotels for the period 22 June – 20 August 2021 (fourth cycle) has been released.

The list of designated hotels in the fourth cycle and related details such as room rates have been uploaded to www.coronavirus.gov.hk/eng/designated-hotel.html

Or download the pdf here

There is an excellent google docs form here about the various hotels including room prices, contact details, restrictions,

Central and Western District
1. Best Western Plus Hotel Hong Kong
2. CM+ Hotels & Serviced Apartments
3. Grand City Hotel
4. JEN Hong Kong by Shangri-La
5. Lan Kwai Fong Hotel @ Kau U Fong
6. One-Eight-One Hotel & Serviced Residences
7. Ramada Hong Kong Harbour View
8. The Landmark Mandarin Oriental

Hong Kong Eastern District
1. Ramada Hong Kong Grand View

Islands District
1. Four Points by Sheraton Hong Kong Tung Chung
2. Regal Airport Hotel

Kowloon City District
1. Bridal Tea House Hotel Hung Hom Gillies Avenue South
2. iclub Ma Tau Wai Hotel
3. Kerry Hotel, Hong Kong
4. Metropark Hotel Kowloon Hong Kong
5. Regal Oriental Hotel

Kwai Tsing District
1. Dorsett Tsuen Wan

Hong Kong Southern District
1. Nina Hotel Island South (Formerly L’hotel Island South)
2. Ovolo Southside

Tsuen Wan District
1. Silka Far East Hotel Hong Kong

Wan Chai District
1. Best Western Hotel Causeway Bay
2. Dorsett Wanchai Hong Kong
3. Hotel Indigo Hong Kong Island
4. Mira Moon Hotel
5. Vela Boutique Hotel
6. Eco Tree Hotel Causeway Bay

Wong Tai Sin District
1. Pentahotel Hong Kong

Kowloon Yau Tsim Mong District
1. Bridal Tea House Hotel Yau Ma Tei Wing Sing Lane
2. Dorsett Mongkok Hong Kong
3. Ramada Hong Kong Grand
4. Silka Seaview Hotel Hong Kong

Peak Tram Closes for Renovation 28 June

Established in 1888 the Peak Tram has evolved over 130 years from a means of transportation into one of Hong Kong’s most-visited attractions.

The double reversible funicular railway, as it is technically known, rises from 28m to 396m above sea level along a 1.4 km track with a gradient of between 4 to 25.7 degrees.

The current Peak Tram has been in operation for 32 years and will close for around six months on 28 June for renovation and upgrade. The familiar burgundy trams will run until 1 June, before eight local artists – Peter Ng, Uncle@Afterworkshop, Stella So, Nopaperstudio, Pei Chung, Even Lee, Jacmila and John Lam –  decorate the cars with locally themed artwork.

No information has been currently provided about bus routes to replace the tram while it’s closed.