Kung Fu king Jackie Chan will give Hong Kong rugby a huge shot in the arm when he gives his famous name to youth rugby - a move that officials hope will pay rich dividends with more youngsters taking up the game.
'We don't know if he has played rugby but that will be the first question we will be asking him,' smiled Allan Payne, Hong Kong Rugby Football Union (HKRFU) executive director.
'We gather he is used to the rough and tumble stuff.'
Hong Kong's famous martial arts actor Chan will sponsor local rugby's Colts League for boys and girls aged between 12 to 18, and also the Tertiary Sevens Tournaments - a total of three tournaments held during the season for all 19 tertiary institutions.
To launch the partnership, Chan will attend a special rugby day at King's Park on October 2 where kids from all 12 of Hong Kong's youth clubs will take part in a demonstration of rugby skills followed by an exhibition match between teams drawn from tertiary community and the HKRFU Youth Academy.
The HKRFU has announced that Richard Cooke has stepped down as director of development due to personal and business reasons. Ruth Mitchell has been appointed to take his place.