Rugby's popularity will be put to the test on Saturday when Hong Kong host Kazakhstan in the HSBC Asian Five Nations Top Five competition at Mong Kok Stadium, with officials hoping a good turnout will boost the home team as well as establish the game's credentials amongst the local community.
After 13 years, Hong Kong will return to Mong Kok Stadium to play an international game on grass and rugby boss Trevor Gregory is hoping the gamble will pay off in terms of fans pouring in through the turnstiles.
'We are hoping for a good turnout. We want the fans to come out and support Hong Kong and we want to see how well received the move is. It is a big game and the guys will need all the support they can get,' Gregory (pictured) said yesterday.
Apart from official hospitality packages at the game, the Hong Kong Rugby Football Union is not charging an entry fee and officials are hopeful the newly redeveloped 6,600-seater Mong Kok Stadium will be at full capacity for rugby's first game in more than a decade.
'We decided to play this last game at Mong Kok Stadium out of choice. The last few times we played an Asian Five Nations game at the Hong Kong Football Club, it was full and we decided to give Mong Kok a go,' HKRFU chairman Gregory said.
'There has been a significant growth in the number of fans from the local community and we thought that now the Mong Kok Stadium has been redeveloped and since it is a good facility, we should take this opportunity and move to a bigger venue.'
Saturday's game will give the HKRFU a litmus test of fan support for rugby outside the popular Hong Kong Sevens, which has been sold out for the past few years.