Hong Kong, Asia Rugby Champions 2022

Hong Kong men’s XV retained the Asia Rugby Championship in Incheon on Saturday beating South Korea 23-21 with the final kick of the match, despite being a player down for most of the game.

The dramatic Gregor McNeish’s 80th-minute game-winning penalty also means Hong Kong move on to the next stage of the Rugby World Cup 2023 Qualification pathway, setting up an enticing match against Tonga on 23 July in Australia, knowing they are one match away from RWC qualification.

“We did not make it easy for ourselves with some of our indiscipline issues but the result shows the character in this team,” said Lewis Evans after his international coaching debut.

“Going down a man after a minute, and leading at half-time shows the quality and belief that we have in this team and our performance in the last half shows the mental resilience we have developed over the past three years. I cannot say enough about the boys today, they were outstanding,” added Evans.

Right-wing Charles Higson-Smith was shown a red card in the first minute of the match in sweltering conditions at the Namdong Asiad Rugby Stadium after he made contact with his opposing winger’s head.

It was a stark reality check of how the international rugby game has evolved in the last three years. This was the Hong Kong men’s first test match since 2019.

Despite the early setback, Hong Kong worked on their game plan of putting the ball behind the Korean pack and the whole team, man for man, gave their all on cover defence and in physical ball carries throughout the game.

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Debutant fly-half Glyn Hughes opened the scoring in the 11th minute with his penalty giving Hong Kong a 3-0 lead, and the lead was extended to 8-0 as the forwards imposed themselves on the Korean pack that set up a rolling maul leading to hooker Alex Post crossing the try line. Hughes’ conversion went wide.

A yellow card to left-winger, Matt Worley, saw Hong Kong play out much of the half with 13 players. Worley made amends when he returned to the field just before halftime adding a second Hong Kong try, after some great team interplay, which was successfully converted by Hughes. 15-0 at half-time.

The Koreans wasted numerous opportunities in the humid conditions, spilling the ball on a few dangerous half-breaks, and their errors were compounded by some excellent scrambling defence from Hong Kong.

Korea eventually got on the board when lock Choi Seong Dook was the beneficiary of a farcical passage of kicking play to put Korea on the board at 15-7.

A sustained period of Korean pressure saw them add a penalty and an unconverted Kim Kwang Min try to set up a nervy final quarter with the scores tied at 15-15.

A Korean penalty allow them to take the lead for the first time, and they pushed ahead 18-15 with ten minutes left.

Buoyed by a loud crowd of over a thousand fans, Korea was applying pressure but Hong Kong patiently set up phases and earned penalties, before Nathan DeThierry, scored in the corner after a perfectly weighted kick pass from McNeish to help Hong Kong regain the lead, 20-18.

Korea came straight back at Hong Kong and earned a penalty from the restart in the 75th minute, to take the lead 21-20.

Hong Kong went searching for a winning score and forced another infringement from Korea in defence, in the dying seconds of the match, McNeish was offered a high-pressure chance to claim a win from the penalty tee.

With no time left on the clock, a tense Hong Kong team saw the ball sail through the posts to clinch an epic win, 23-21.

Hong Kong, Asia Rugby Champions 2022 - 3

Additional reporting and images: HKRU

World Rugby Announces Upcoming Locations of Rugby World Cups

At its Annual Meeting in Dublin, World Rugby confirmed the locations for the next three women’s and two men’s Rugby World Cups:

  • England to host Rugby World Cup 2025 (women’s)
  • Australia to host Rugby World Cup 2027 (men’s) and 2029 (women’s)
  • USA to host Rugby World Cup 2031 (men’s) and 2033 (women’s)

World Rugby also confirmed a new partnership approach towards hosting the Rugby World Cup that looks to as they put it “stimulate the dynamic development of rugby globally and increase investment in the women’s game”. It was also confirmed that the 2025 Women’s World Cup will expand to 16 teams.

After the announcement, World Rugby Chairman Sir Bill Beaumont said: “Today, we have approved three exceptional Rugby World Cup host nations – England, Australia and USA – providing unprecedented certainty and an unparalleled opportunity to accelerate the growth and impact of rugby globally. It is great for rugby, for fans and for the host nations.”

“Today is a landmark moment for the sport and exciting development for fans. I would like to congratulate everyone involved in making this dream a reality as we look to deliver a truly global sport for all.”

“We are thrilled to be hosting Rugby World Cup 2025, it is going to be incredible,” said RFU Chief Operating Officer, Chief Finance Officer and former England captain Sue Day. “As we have seen from other home World Cups in cricket, hockey and netball, a Rugby World Cup will further advance all women’s sport.”

Rugby Australia Chairman Hamish McLennan said: “This is a historic day for rugby in Australia. We’re beyond thrilled to be welcoming not one, but two Rugby World Cups to our shores. It’s a game-changer for rugby in this country, a once-in-a-generation opportunity to revitalise and secure the future of the sport here and see the game we all love grow and thrive for years to come.”

“I speak for the rugby community and fans across the United States when I express our sincere gratitude to World Rugby for their trust and endorsement of our vision to grow this incredible sport exponentially across our country.” added USA Rugby Chief Executive Ross Young. “USA Rugby will now venture into a new era and ensure the sport’s most treasured event is a springboard for creating lasting, sustainable enthusiasm and passion for rugby from coast to coast.”

The postponed women’s Rugby World Cup 2021 will take place in New Zealand later this year with the final held at the iconic Eden Park in Auckland on xx November 2022.

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If readers are interested in news and ticket information about future Rugby World Cups the sign up here www.rugbyworldcup.com/newsletter.

additional reporting, images: World Rugby

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.

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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

Player Welfare-focused Law Trials – Have Your Say

World Rugby is offering everyone involved in the game the chance to have their say on the recent welfare-driven global law trials which have taken place over the last nine months.

An online survey offers fans, players, officials and anyone else with an interest in rugby a chance to be heard. The questionnaire is available until 28 March.   

In July 2021, World Rugby announced that a package of law trials, focused on improving the welfare of players, would be trialled across the global game. Those law trials are: 

  • 50:22: This law trial is intended to create space via a tactical choice for players to drop out of the defensive line in order to prevent their opponents from kicking for touch, reducing the impact of defensive line speed 
  • Goal-line drop out: This law trial is intended to reduce the number of scrums, reward good defence, encourage counter-attacking and increase the rate of ball in play 
  • Pre-bound pods of players: Outlawing the practice of pods of three or more players being pre-bound prior to receiving the ball – the sanction will be a penalty kick
  • Sanctioning the lower limb clear-out: Penalising players who target/drop their weight onto the lower limbs of a jackler – the sanction will be a penalty kick
  • Tightening law relating to latching: One-player latch to be permitted, but this player has the same responsibilities as a first arriving player (i.e. must stay on feet, enter through gate and not fall to floor) – the sanction will be a penalty kick 

The results of the survey will be used alongside detailed data analysis and coach, player, referee and medical feedback to help inform the decision of the Law Review Group (LRG), which will make a final recommendation to the World Rugby High Performance Rugby Committee, before the World Rugby Council considers the recommendations in May. Should the law trials be approved by the Council, they would become full laws of the game in July 2022. 

World Rugby Chairman Sir Bill Beaumont said: “These player welfare-focused law trials have been invaluable and I would like to thank everyone who has been involved in making them such a success. Now it is vital that World Rugby has a complete picture of the impact of these trials for players, fans, medics and officials alike.   

“That is why we are calling on everyone in the rugby family to have their say on these law trials and let us know your views, including the key question as to whether each of these trials should be accepted into full rugby law. 

“As I said at the beginning of the year, 2022 is the year of player welfare for World Rugby and together with the rugby family we can ensure that this year, the laws of the game are the keeping up with all the developing science in this area.” 

The Global Law Trials survey is available in the following languages
a. English https://forms.office.com/r/8mykKAL3Bt 
b. French https://forms.office.com/r/bxA0KMj1pY 
c. 
Spanish https://forms.office.com/r/tPgPYi242P 
d. Japanese https://forms.office.com/r/2GCfy9PADa 

Aditional reporting, images: World Rugby

Women’s Rugby Results – 20 November, 2021

Premiership

Kowloon 10-19 Valley Black
@ King’s Park, Kick-off: 18:00

CWB Phoenix 0-58 USRC Tigers
@ Aberdeen Sports Ground, Kick-off: 18:00

HKFC Ice 17-5 Gai Wu Falcons
@ HK Football Club, Kick-off: 18:30

National League 2

Kowloon 7-0 Gai Wu Hawks
@ So Kon Po Recreation Ground, Kick-off: 13:30

Tai Po Dragons 34-0 Revolution Serenity
@ Tai Po Kwong Fuk Park, Kick-off: 15:00

City 14-12 CWB Lammergeier
@ Kowloon Tsai Sports Ground, Kick-off: 15:00

Tin Shui Wai 0-5 Disciplined Services
@ Tin Shui Wai Community Ground, Kick-off: 18:00

Police Sirens 40-0 Typhoons Thunder
@ Police Sports Ground, Kick-off: 18:00

Image: hkrugby

Women’s Rugby Fixtures: 20 November, 2021

A full house of women’s rugby this weekend!
Entry is Free!

image: hkrugby

Women’s Rugby Fixtures: 9 October, 2021

A full house of women’s rugby this weekend!
Entry is Free!

image: hkrugby

Women’s Rugby Results – 2 October, 2021

Premiership

HKFC Ice 25-10 Kowloon
@ HK Football Club, Kick-off: 13:30

USRC Tigers 14-15 Valley Black
@ King’s Park, Kick-off: 18:00

CWB Phoenix 0-61 Gai Wu Falcons
@ So Kon Po, Kick-off: 18:00

HK womens premiership 4 october 2021

National League 2

CWB Lammergeier 0-12 Kowloon
@ So Kon Po, Kick-off: 13:30

Typhoons Thunder 0-40 Gai Wu Hawks
@ Kowloon Tsai Sports Ground, Kick-off: 15:00

City 10-5 Tin Shui Wai
@ Tai Hang Tung, Kick-off: 16:30

Police Sirens 27-0 Revolution Serenity
@ Police Recreation Club, Kick-off: 18:00

Disciplined Services RFC 5-0 Tai Po Dragon
@ Happy Valley, Kick-off: 18:00

HK womens National League 2 - 4 october 2021

Image: hkrugby