https://www.scmp.com/rss/35121/feed These are exciting times for the women’s rugby in Hong Kong with three forms of the game – sevens, 10s and 15s – being played variously at mini, club and national level under the auspices of the Hong Kong Rugby Union. en https://assets.i-scmp.com/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www.scmp.com SCMP Sport SCMP Sport Hong Kong and their Kazakhstan opponents will both be chasing a first when they clash in Almaty in the Asia Rugby Emirates Women’s Championship on Sunday. With second place at stake, the hosts will be attempting to end a two-year losing streak. Hong Kong, meanwhile, have yet to beat Kazakhstan away from home. Both sides go into the encounter on the back of heavy defeats at the hands of Japan, who thumped Hong Kong 71-12 on Tuesday, having previously dispatched the home side 64-12. Hong Kong... https://www.scmp.com/sport/rugby/hong-kong-rugby-union/article/3352976/hong-kong-kazakhstan-women-both-chasing-firsts-asia-rugby-championship-finale?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/rugby/hong-kong-rugby-union/article/3352976/hong-kong-kazakhstan-women-both-chasing-firsts-asia-rugby-championship-finale?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 09 May 2026 05:26:19 +0000 Paul McNamara Paul McNamara Ruby Tui “felt like a pirate” when she was presented with her “super shiny” Olympic gold in 2021, but it is the shabby silver from 2016 that serves as a permanent reminder of the resilience and dedication she applied to reach the top of the podium. A rugby sevens winner with New Zealand in Tokyo, and arch-champion of a format that “is one of the greatest teachers of life … and provides the fittest and fastest rugby on the planet”, Tui returned home desolate after losing the Rio Games final to... https://www.scmp.com/sport/rugby/hk-sevens/article/3351986/how-rubbish-olympic-medal-inspired-new-zealand-star-ruby-tuis-rush-greatness?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/rugby/hk-sevens/article/3351986/how-rubbish-olympic-medal-inspired-new-zealand-star-ruby-tuis-rush-greatness?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 01 May 2026 00:00:14 +0000 Josh Ball Josh Ball Hong Kong will host another significant rugby tournament this year, with the game’s global governing body awarding the city the WXV Challenger in September. The two-week tournament, featuring some of the best women’s teams in the world, including Hong Kong, is expected to be held at Kai Tak Youth Sports Ground. Announcing the decision on Sunday on the sidelines of the Cathay/HSBC Hong Kong Sevens, World Rugby chairman Brett Robinson called the WXV a “very, very important competition” for his... https://www.scmp.com/sport/rugby/hong-kong-rugby-union/article/3350611/world-rugby-boss-robinson-hails-hong-kongs-global-influence-wxv-announcement?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/rugby/hong-kong-rugby-union/article/3350611/world-rugby-boss-robinson-hails-hong-kongs-global-influence-wxv-announcement?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 19 Apr 2026 06:09:38 +0000 Chloe Loung Chloe Loung To understand why German-Chinese athlete Sofie Fella felt compelled to design a T-shirt featuring the Chinese character da – Mandarin for “big” – one must understand the rigid expectations of Asian femininity. In cities like Shanghai, Fella’s hometown, the “ideal” body is more than an aesthetic – it is a signifier of virtue. This mindset is encouraged from a young age. Even as a Harvard University rugby player and now international competitor – she plays for the German national team – Fella has... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/health-wellness/article/3350000/rugby-player-fighting-asian-beauty-standards-showing-women-its-ok-be-strong?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/health-wellness/article/3350000/rugby-player-fighting-asian-beauty-standards-showing-women-its-ok-be-strong?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 15 Apr 2026 03:00:24 +0000 Paul McNamara Paul McNamara She has two Olympic golds and two World Cup winner’s medals, but New Zealand great Portia Woodman-Wickliffe acknowledged she was plagued by nerves before her Tradition HKFC 10s debut on Tuesday. Representing Aone Sports New Zealand Legends in the three-day tournament, the 34-year-old performed a retirement U-turn to play in last year’s 15s World Cup before calling time on her career for a second time two months ago. Woodman-Wickliffe initially quit after starring in New Zealand’s golden 2024... https://www.scmp.com/sport/rugby/hk-sevens/article/3350060/new-zealand-rugby-legend-woodman-wickliffe-feeling-nervous-ahead-hong-kong-10s-debut?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/rugby/hk-sevens/article/3350060/new-zealand-rugby-legend-woodman-wickliffe-feeling-nervous-ahead-hong-kong-10s-debut?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 14 Apr 2026 13:00:18 +0000 Paul McNamara Paul McNamara The tattoos inscribed on the arms of Au King-to will be joined by a design celebrating her Cathay/HSBC Hong Kong Sevens debut, after she overcame self-doubt to earn a place in the city’s team this week. On Sunday, the 29-year-old was named in a 12-strong women’s squad that covers the full range of experience, from a 48th cap for the evergreen Nam Ka-man to 19-year-old Haruka Uematsu, who will make her Hong Kong debut in her side’s Melrose Claymores campaign. There were plenty of fresh faces in... https://www.scmp.com/sport/rugby/hk-sevens/article/3349793/cathay/hsbc-hong-kong-sevens-debut-15s-stalwart-after-overcoming-self-doubt?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/rugby/hk-sevens/article/3349793/cathay/hsbc-hong-kong-sevens-debut-15s-stalwart-after-overcoming-self-doubt?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 13 Apr 2026 00:00:39 +0000 Paul McNamara Paul McNamara A genuine Olympic star with two medals from three Games, Charity Williams is planning to “have a blast” on her Kai Tak Stadium debut at this week’s Cathay/HSBC Hong Kong Sevens. The Canada wing sat out a series of Hong Kong Sports Institute (HKSI) training matches on Saturday, icing her shoulder as her side faced Fiji, Denmark and the city team. And there is no danger of “just a little stinger” ruling the 29-year-old out for a second straight year. “It’s still awesome to be here [HKSI], this is... https://www.scmp.com/sport/rugby/hk-sevens/article/3349748/cathay/hsbc-hong-kong-sevens-canada-olympic-star-williams-plans-having-blast?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/rugby/hk-sevens/article/3349748/cathay/hsbc-hong-kong-sevens-canada-olympic-star-williams-plans-having-blast?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 12 Apr 2026 00:00:15 +0000 Chloe Loung Chloe Loung Mui Thomas is, by any measure, a remarkable woman. Now 33, she is believed to be the world’s fourth-oldest survivor of Harlequin ichthyosis. This extremely rare genetic disorder causes the body to be covered with thick plates of skin – a condition so severe that when Mui was born in Hong Kong in 1992, it was considered universally fatal. She has survived medical emergencies that would have killed lesser fighters. Despite her ongoing health struggles, she has become a rugby coach, a certified... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/health-wellness/article/3344406/parents-hong-kongs-girl-behind-face-share-their-story-first-time?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/health-wellness/article/3344406/parents-hong-kongs-girl-behind-face-share-their-story-first-time?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 25 Feb 2026 03:00:10 +0000 Paul McNamara Paul McNamara An emotional Tsang Sin-yan said she felt “alive” on her return to competitive rugby for Kowloon on Saturday, 18 months after the lock forward was diagnosed with cancer. Hong Kong international Tsang completed 80 minutes as her team staged a stunning late fightback, scoring three unanswered tries to beat Causeway Sandy Bay 41-36 for a first Premiership victory of the season. After collapsing at home in June 2024, following two months of living with severe chest pain, Tsang was found to be... https://www.scmp.com/sport/rugby/fifteens/article/3340275/hong-kong-rugby-star-tsang-sin-yan-feels-alive-after-winning-return-cancer-ordeal?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/rugby/fifteens/article/3340275/hong-kong-rugby-star-tsang-sin-yan-feels-alive-after-winning-return-cancer-ordeal?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 17 Jan 2026 14:00:04 +0000 Reuters Reuters South Africa started and finished ‌2025 as the world’s No 1-ranked side, and their extraordinary depth and monstrous scrum suggest they will be the team to beat at the 2027 Rugby World Cup in Australia. The Springboks retained the Rugby Championship title, inflicted a record test defeat on old foes New Zealand, completed comprehensive wins in France and Ireland, and racked up a record score against an ailing Wales side in Cardiff. It was not a perfect 12 months, however, with a second-half... https://www.scmp.com/sport/rugby/international-rugby/article/3337680/year-rugby-south-africa-dominate-france-win-six-nations-england-rise?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/rugby/international-rugby/article/3337680/year-rugby-south-africa-dominate-france-win-six-nations-england-rise?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 25 Dec 2025 08:00:09 +0000 Reuters Reuters A deafening roar at Twickenham capped a 2025 Women’s Rugby World Cup that smashed attendance records, while India’s first Women’s Cricket World Cup triumph sparked nationwide celebrations. A’Ja Wilson delivered a jaw-dropping Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA) season to redefine what dominance looks like and Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone raced to a sensational world title at a new distance in ‍the 400m. While the year was full of lasting images of women in sport that reshaped their... https://www.scmp.com/sport/article/3337585/year-womens-sport-englands-rugby-football-wins-wnba-grows-indias-cricket-victory?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/article/3337585/year-womens-sport-englands-rugby-football-wins-wnba-grows-indias-cricket-victory?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 25 Dec 2025 02:00:09 +0000 Josh Ball Josh Ball Domestic rugby will return to Hong Kong next week after an international break of varying fortunes for the city’s men and women, and for both it represents the next step in differing paths to their respective World Cups. The men have already secured a place at the 2027 edition in Australia, but a 58-12 defeat at the hands of Portugal in their only Test of the autumn almost a fortnight ago was a salutary lesson in how far they still have to go. Hong Kong’s women, meanwhile, began their journey to... https://www.scmp.com/sport/rugby/hong-kong-rugby-union/article/3334367/hong-kong-rugby-players-eye-differing-world-cup-road-maps-club-season-resumes?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/rugby/hong-kong-rugby-union/article/3334367/hong-kong-rugby-players-eye-differing-world-cup-road-maps-club-season-resumes?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 28 Nov 2025 00:00:14 +0000 Paul McNamara Paul McNamara Roshini Turner has said a reality check delivered at last year’s WXV3 tournament, coupled with her burning desire to reach the 2029 Rugby World Cup with Hong Kong, prompted her “trailblazing” move to English giants Saracens. The second row has made three PWR Cup appearances off the bench after “flipping my life upside down” to relocate in July. Saracens play Exeter Chiefs in the semi-finals on Sunday. Hong Kong were soundly beaten by Fiji and the Netherlands, either side of a win over... https://www.scmp.com/sport/rugby/fifteens/article/3327282/hong-kong-rugby-trailblazer-launching-english-premiership-career-aid-world-cup-bid?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/rugby/fifteens/article/3327282/hong-kong-rugby-trailblazer-launching-english-premiership-career-aid-world-cup-bid?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 30 Sep 2025 01:00:13 +0000 SCMP Sport SCMP Sport Women’s rugby got a global boost on Thursday, when officials announced the creation of a new series featuring the world’s best 18 teams. In a press conference in the UK, officials said the new WXV Global Series would be played between 2026 and 2028, with more than 100 matches also providing a pathway to the 2029 World Cup in Australia. Nations will be split into two groups, with the top 12 playing each other in a home-and-away format, while those ranked 13 to 18, which includes Hong Kong, will... https://www.scmp.com/sport/rugby/international-rugby/article/3326037/new-global-womens-rugby-series-adds-100-matches-calendar-hong-kong-second-tier?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/rugby/international-rugby/article/3326037/new-global-womens-rugby-series-adds-100-matches-calendar-hong-kong-second-tier?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 18 Sep 2025 17:30:08 +0000 Josh Ball Josh Ball Three months ago, the closest Han-Mi had come to throwing a rugby ball in anger was passing it to her young son while helping coach the under-8s at Hong Kong Football Club. A tackle bag, cones and other training items were just something to be put away afterwards – not any more. On Saturday, she threw herself into a full-contact game for the first time, running out on the wing in a pre-season friendly against Bangkok Belles. It was an experience she admitted beforehand to “not feeling ready for... https://www.scmp.com/sport/rugby/fifteens/article/3325498/meet-hong-kong-womens-rugby-rookie-who-already-veteran-and-inspiration?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/rugby/fifteens/article/3325498/meet-hong-kong-womens-rugby-rookie-who-already-veteran-and-inspiration?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 15 Sep 2025 00:00:17 +0000 Lars Hamer Lars Hamer German national team rugby player Sofie Fella was sick of hearing her Chinese family say, “your legs are too big” and “your shoulders are too broad”, but rather than let those comments take hold, she made it her mission to flip the script on beauty standards. Born in Germany to a Chinese mother and a German father, Fella grew up in Shanghai and is the founder of two initiatives aimed at normalising women's size and empowering them to discuss vulnerable topics like body image. The 大 Collection,... https://www.scmp.com/sport/rugby/article/3325456/german-chinese-rugby-player-helping-women-see-strong-can-be-beautiful-and-feminine?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/rugby/article/3325456/german-chinese-rugby-player-helping-women-see-strong-can-be-beautiful-and-feminine?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 14 Sep 2025 03:16:12 +0000 SCMP Editorial SCMP Editorial Hong Kong is famous for rugby because of the enduring appeal of the iconic Sevens tournament, which attracted more than 110,000 fans this year. But excitement is now being generated by the city’s performance in the more traditional 15-a-side game. Hong Kong has qualified for the men’s Rugby World Cup for the first time. It is a big achievement. Hong Kong produced an impressive display in the Asia Rugby Championship, winning all three matches comfortably. Qualification for the World Cup in 2027... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/comment/article/3317871/hong-kongs-hard-won-spot-rugby-world-cup-dream-come-true?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/comment/article/3317871/hong-kongs-hard-won-spot-rugby-world-cup-dream-come-true?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 12 Jul 2025 23:15:07 +0000 Josh Ball Josh Ball Hong Kong could hand debuts to as many as five players in the Asia Rugby Women’s Championship this month, something head coach Lewis Wilson said highlighted the “really exciting” potential for the game in the city. With several senior squad members, including Natasha Olson-Thorne, either injured or resting after an intense sevens season, Wilson said some fringe players had made “absolutely amazing progress” over the past several months. The city’s women take on Kazakhstan and hosts Japan in the... https://www.scmp.com/sport/rugby/hong-kong-rugby-union/article/3309120/hong-kong-tap-potential-fresh-faces-asia-rugby-womens-championship?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/rugby/hong-kong-rugby-union/article/3309120/hong-kong-tap-potential-fresh-faces-asia-rugby-womens-championship?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 05 May 2025 09:35:00 +0000 New Zealand’s women were crowned champions of the Cathay/HSBC Hong Kong Sevens for a third year in a row on Sunday after beating arch-rivals Australia 26-19 in the final. The Olympic champions’ first two victories were at the Hong Kong Stadium and they followed that up with the first title at the city’s new Kai Tak Stadium. But New Zealand were made to work for their “three-peat”, as they went behind for the first time all weekend and played the final two minutes of the first half a player... https://www.scmp.com/sport/china/article/3304479/hong-kong-sevens-new-zealand-women-complete-three-peat-win-over-australia-final?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/china/article/3304479/hong-kong-sevens-new-zealand-women-complete-three-peat-win-over-australia-final?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 30 Mar 2025 13:00:08 +0000 A quirk in the draw at the Cathay/HSBC Hong Kong Sevens on Saturday saw New Zealand beat Brazil twice in a row to set up a Sunday semi-final against Canada, a repeat of last summer’s Paris Olympics gold medal match. The Hong Kong draw has still, more logically, kept the Black Ferns on track to meet Australia in a final many hoped to see at Kai Tak Stadium on Sunday. The New Zealanders saw off Brazil for the second time by 31-17, while Australia recorded a 35-5 win over USA and will face France... https://www.scmp.com/sport/hong-kong/article/3304447/hong-kong-sevens-new-zealand-set-womens-semi-final-canada-australia-face-france?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/hong-kong/article/3304447/hong-kong-sevens-new-zealand-set-womens-semi-final-canada-australia-face-france?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 30 Mar 2025 01:58:36 +0000 China women’s dramatic sudden-death victory over Great Britain on Saturday saw them avoid the possibility of finishing as the tournament’s worst team at the Cathay/HSBC Hong Kong Sevens. A 24-10 defeat by the United States in their final Pool C fixture earlier in the day had left them in danger of a last-place finish. But they battled to outlast Britain and record their first win of the weekend, which means they will finish as high as ninth should they beat Spain on Sunday. China led the match... https://www.scmp.com/sport/china/article/3304417/chinas-dramatic-win-v-gb-sees-them-avoid-worst-team-tag-hong-kong-sevens?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/china/article/3304417/chinas-dramatic-win-v-gb-sees-them-avoid-worst-team-tag-hong-kong-sevens?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 29 Mar 2025 09:43:32 +0000 China’s women’s team have come to the Cathay/HSBC Hong Kong Sevens to beat the United States, the side’s coach has revealed. Fan Shun-kei, technical coach with the mainland China squad, said on Friday he was “100 per cent confident” his side would retain their place in the HSBC SVNS Series and had targeted a win over the US along the way. In the SVNS Series, the bottom four teams at the end of the season compete in relegation play-offs at the Grand Final in Los Angeles. The top eight in the... https://www.scmp.com/sport/china/article/3304366/hong-kong-sevens-china-target-win-over-usa-aid-svns-series-survival-hopes?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/china/article/3304366/hong-kong-sevens-china-target-win-over-usa-aid-svns-series-survival-hopes?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 29 Mar 2025 01:00:19 +0000 Australia’s women threw down the gauntlet on the first day of the Cathay/HSBC Hong Kong Sevens, smashing bottom-of-the-series Spain 54-12 before winning a tough battle against Canada 26-15. The green and gold were bolstered by the return of Maddison Levi, who missed the Vancouver leg because of injury, as the 23-year-old scored a hat-trick against Spain before getting four more against Canada. But Australia’s biggest rivals, reigning Hong Kong Sevens champions New Zealand, kicked off their hunt... https://www.scmp.com/sport/china/article/3304361/hong-kong-sevens-2025-australia-new-zealand-women-shine-china-trouble?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/china/article/3304361/hong-kong-sevens-2025-australia-new-zealand-women-shine-china-trouble?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 28 Mar 2025 14:00:09 +0000 Two talented youngsters could make their international debuts in the white-hot atmosphere of this week’s Cathay/HSBC Hong Kong Sevens, after the city’s 13-player men’s and women’s squads were named on Sunday. James Kee, 19, and 24-year-old Rory Stewart-Cox were both included in Jevon Groves’ party, as Hong Kong try to bounce back from a disappointing Challenger Series. Groves said his side had “reflected on why we were so poor” in South Africa, where ninth- and 10th-place finishes extinguished... https://www.scmp.com/sport/rugby/hk-sevens/article/3303521/hong-kong-sevens-local-mens-pair-set-kai-tak-baptism-fire-new-era-begins?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/rugby/hk-sevens/article/3303521/hong-kong-sevens-local-mens-pair-set-kai-tak-baptism-fire-new-era-begins?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 23 Mar 2025 11:30:08 +0000 An unsuccessful Challenger Series has offered positive takeaways for the Hong Kong women’s rugby sevens team before the year’s major events on home soil, head coach Andy Vilk said on Tuesday. As they prepare for next week’s Cathay/HSBC Hong Kong Sevens, the home team are regrouping after missing out on the final Challenger leg in Krakow next month, having been placed 10th of 12 teams following the first two legs in South Africa this month. Still, Vilk was convinced that his players had learned... https://www.scmp.com/sport/hong-kong/article/3302889/hong-kong-sevens-citys-women-learned-challenger-series-losses-coach-says?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/hong-kong/article/3302889/hong-kong-sevens-citys-women-learned-challenger-series-losses-coach-says?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 19 Mar 2025 01:30:12 +0000 China’s rapidly improving women’s rugby sevens team can draw on the country’s 1.4 billion population to eventually catch the sport’s traditional powerhouses. That is the prediction of one of the greats, Alicia Lucas, who was part of Australia’s gold medal-winning team at the 2016 Olympics. The Chinese women reached a quarter-final in their debut HSBC SVNS Series campaign in this weekend’s Perth leg, after progressing to the same stage of last year’s Olympics in Paris. Lucas said China were... https://www.scmp.com/sport/rugby/article/3296440/china-can-challenge-rugby-sevens-giants-new-zealand-and-australia-olympic-winner-says?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/rugby/article/3296440/china-can-challenge-rugby-sevens-giants-new-zealand-and-australia-olympic-winner-says?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 27 Jan 2025 23:30:11 +0000 Social media sensation Ilona Maher said rugby union needs to undergo a culture shift if the sport is to attract new fans. Maher, who last year won rugby sevens bronze with the United States at the Paris Olympics and starred at the Hong Kong Sevens, has more than eight million followers across Instagram and TikTok, making her the world’s most followed rugby player. She was also a runner-up in the most recent series of US television show Dancing With The Stars, and made the cover of the digital... https://www.scmp.com/sport/rugby/article/3295049/instagram-tiktok-can-help-rugby-reach-younger-audience-hong-kong-sevens-star-maher-says?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/rugby/article/3295049/instagram-tiktok-can-help-rugby-reach-younger-audience-hong-kong-sevens-star-maher-says?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 16 Jan 2025 09:58:22 +0000 American rugby sevens star Ilona Maher will join 15-a-side club Bristol Bears in January in a bid to play in next year’s women’s Rugby World Cup, the English club announced on Monday. Maher, a prop in sevens, helped the United States clinch the Rugby Sevens bronze medal – their first – at the Paris Games after defeating Australia. The 28-year-old is the most popular rugby player on social media with a following of 4.6 million on Instagram and 3.3 million on TikTok. Earlier in the year, she... https://www.scmp.com/sport/rugby/hk-sevens/article/3289206/us-olympic-rugby-7s-medallist-ilona-maher-signs-bristol-bid-play-world-cup?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/rugby/hk-sevens/article/3289206/us-olympic-rugby-7s-medallist-ilona-maher-signs-bristol-bid-play-world-cup?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 03 Dec 2024 12:41:41 +0000 Andrew Douglas said Hong Kong’s women’s rugby players’ lack of quality preparation left them on the “back foot” from the start of their ultimately disappointing WXV3 campaign in Dubai. Hong Kong went into Saturday’s final round of fixtures with an outside chance of qualifying for next year’s World Cup in England, only for the Netherlands to shoot those hopes down in flames with a convincing 33-3 win. The match got away from Hong Kong in a five-minute first-half spell, when Linneke Geevers and... https://www.scmp.com/sport/rugby/fifteens/article/3282200/wxv-hong-kong-couldnt-prepare-properly-boss-says-after-dutch-dash-rugby-world-cup-hopes?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/rugby/fifteens/article/3282200/wxv-hong-kong-couldnt-prepare-properly-boss-says-after-dutch-dash-rugby-world-cup-hopes?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 14 Oct 2024 00:45:09 +0000 Head coach Andrew Douglas has urged Hong Kong to seize their Women’s Rugby World Cup opportunity, ahead of a potential qualification showdown with the Netherlands next Saturday. Hong Kong claimed a bonus-point 38-7 victory over Madagascar in their second match at the ongoing WXV3 tournament in Dubai on Friday. The trouncing of the Africans featured six tries and some fabulous kicking from the recalled Zoe Smith. Douglas praised his players for “bouncing back” from the disappointment of being... https://www.scmp.com/sport/rugby/fifteens/article/3281208/hong-kong-urged-seize-womens-rugby-world-cup-chance-dutch-showdown-looms-dubai?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/rugby/fifteens/article/3281208/hong-kong-urged-seize-womens-rugby-world-cup-chance-dutch-showdown-looms-dubai?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 06 Oct 2024 02:00:17 +0000 Elevation to the English Premier League grants the keys to enormous wealth, which is how the play-off final to determine the last team promoted came to be dubbed “the richest game in football”. Friday night brought an early gauge of two of those jostling for position in the second-tier Championship. Leaders Sunderland hosted fifth-placed Leeds United, who were close enough behind to potentially leapfrog them in the table. Either could go straight up in May; either could be headed for that... https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3281182/pogba-ban-cut-indias-t20-rout-clash-premier-league-wannabes-overnight-sport?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3281182/pogba-ban-cut-indias-t20-rout-clash-premier-league-wannabes-overnight-sport?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 04 Oct 2024 23:30:08 +0000 Andrew Douglas has urged Asia Rugby to stop “paying lip service” to the issue of player welfare, but said his Hong Kong team would be in their “best physical and mental state” when they launch their WXV3 campaign against Fiji on Saturday. The stakes could not be higher for Hong Kong, with qualification for the 2025 Rugby World Cup up for grabs over the next fortnight in Dubai, where Douglas’s world No 17-ranked team also face Madagascar and Netherlands. The head coach, therefore, was bewildered... https://www.scmp.com/sport/rugby/fifteens/article/3280238/coach-urges-asia-rugby-step-player-welfare-efforts-hong-kong-world-cup-bid-begins?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/rugby/fifteens/article/3280238/coach-urges-asia-rugby-step-player-welfare-efforts-hong-kong-world-cup-bid-begins?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 28 Sep 2024 00:30:15 +0000 Andrew Douglas said his appointment as women’s head coach underlined Hong Kong’s desire to achieve 2025 Rugby World Cup qualification, and potentially transform the sport in the city. The New Zealander, who led Hong Kong’s men to 2024 Asia Rugby Championship success, said he was overseeing a harmonious camp, after replacing Royce Chan Leong-sze at the helm. Chan, who has been appointed programme lead, guided Hong Kong to the six-team WXV3 competition in Dubai, beginning this month, where two... https://www.scmp.com/sport/rugby/fifteens/article/3278598/head-coach-switch-designed-maximise-hong-kong-ammunition-rugby-world-cup-quest?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/rugby/fifteens/article/3278598/head-coach-switch-designed-maximise-hong-kong-ammunition-rugby-world-cup-quest?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 16 Sep 2024 00:45:07 +0000 Hong Kong have named a 30-strong squad to travel to Dubai for the WXV3 tournament next month, and brought in men’s head coach Andrew Douglas to help in the bid to qualify for the women’s Rugby World Cup next year. The tweak in coaching set-up sees Royce Chan, who was part of the squad that played at the women’s World Cup in 2017, and has been coaching the team, made programme lead. As part of the six-team tournament, Hong Kong will take on Fiji, Madagascar and the Netherlands, with Spain and... https://www.scmp.com/sport/rugby/hong-kong-rugby-union/article/3275070/hong-kong-name-30-strong-squad-wxv3-women-chasing-return-rugby-world-cup?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/rugby/hong-kong-rugby-union/article/3275070/hong-kong-name-30-strong-squad-wxv3-women-chasing-return-rugby-world-cup?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 19 Aug 2024 12:00:12 +0000 Rugby sevens star Ilona Maher has been a huge hit on social media at the Paris Olympics. She just made history with the US women’s team on Tuesday night as they won their first-ever Olympic medal in the rugby sevens, snagging the bronze with a 14-12 win over Australia. She’s been busy making funny TikTok and Instagram Reels as well as empowering posts about women and sports. She’s also producing some big hits on opponents at Stade de France as a regular starter for the US women’s rugby sevens... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/people/icons-influencers/article/3272725/meet-rugby-player-and-tiktok-star-ilona-maher-shes-competing-paris-olympics-us-womens-team-and?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/people/icons-influencers/article/3272725/meet-rugby-player-and-tiktok-star-ilona-maher-shes-competing-paris-olympics-us-womens-team-and?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 02 Aug 2024 11:00:10 +0000 Still a relative newcomer to the Summer Games, the men’s rugby sevens in Paris will be over before most events have really had a chance to get started. But even though it begins two days before the opening ceremony, it could easily set the tone for the weeks that follow, especially if Antoine Dupont can guide the home nation to gold. In the women’s competition, all eyes will be on New Zealand and Australia, with the two rivals expected to battle it out in the final once more. Athletes to... https://www.scmp.com/sport/rugby/article/3269838/paris-olympics-all-you-need-know-rugby-sevens-puts-fiji-and-dupont-spotlight?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/rugby/article/3269838/paris-olympics-all-you-need-know-rugby-sevens-puts-fiji-and-dupont-spotlight?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 22 Jul 2024 06:00:09 +0000 China’s rugby sevens boss Lu Zhuan wants the country’s women’s team to overcome a tough draw at the Paris Olympic Games next month where he will be seeking to outdo their Tokyo Games ranking. China, who finished seventh among 12 teams in Japan in 2021, were drawn in Pool A alongside New Zealand, Fiji and Canada – all of whom are World Series grand finals sides. “As difficult the draw may look, we hope to make the most of our momentum to challenge the world’s top teams,” Lu said. “Our target is... https://www.scmp.com/sport/china/article/3268619/paris-olympics-china-rugby-sevens-boss-wants-improve-tokyo-despite-tough-group?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/china/article/3268619/paris-olympics-china-rugby-sevens-boss-wants-improve-tokyo-despite-tough-group?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 30 Jun 2024 13:00:09 +0000 China secured the final place in the women’s rugby sevens tournament at the Paris Olympics on Sunday, with South Africa taking the last spot in the men’s draw at the expense of Great Britain. Both sides qualified for the Games after winning the Olympic repechage over the weekend in Monaco, where 12 teams in each draw battled it out for the last available place at the Games up for grabs. Hong Kong’s men and women both made it to the quarter-finals of their competitions, but were comfortably... https://www.scmp.com/sport/rugby/international-rugby/article/3267752/paris-olympics-china-women-cruise-through-monaco-seal-final-rugby-7s-spot?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/rugby/international-rugby/article/3267752/paris-olympics-china-women-cruise-through-monaco-seal-final-rugby-7s-spot?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 24 Jun 2024 02:06:46 +0000 Chong Ka-yan ran in a hat-trick of tries as Hong Kong’s women got their final shot at Olympic qualification off to a flyer on Friday, with a 33-15 win over Paraguay. There were also scores for Natasha Olson-Thorne and Nam Ka-man in the World Rugby Sevens Repechage event at Louis II Stadium in Monaco, with Poon Hoi-yan and Stephanie Chan adding eight points with the boot. Andy Vilk’s side did not make life easy for themselves, however, twice falling behind in the opening half. Cinthia Cristaldo... https://www.scmp.com/sport/rugby/international-rugby/article/3267607/china-hong-kong-women-get-olympic-7s-repechage-flying-start-monaco?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/rugby/international-rugby/article/3267607/china-hong-kong-women-get-olympic-7s-repechage-flying-start-monaco?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 21 Jun 2024 13:24:48 +0000 China’s rugby sevens coaches are confident their women’s team can live up to expectations back home and reach the Paris Olympics via the final qualifying tournament in Monaco, which starts on Friday. And they have a former Hong Kong international helping their cause, in technical coach and video analyst Fan Shun-kei, who is under no illusion about the aspirations held by Chinese officials. Changes have been made since China fell short in their first attempt to qualify, in the Asian qualifier... https://www.scmp.com/sport/china/article/3267406/can-china-reach-paris-olympics-rugby-sevens-handling-expectation-key-last-qualifier?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/china/article/3267406/can-china-reach-paris-olympics-rugby-sevens-handling-expectation-key-last-qualifier?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 20 Jun 2024 12:12:05 +0000 If Australia grabs another Olympic gold medal in rugby sevens at Paris, the highlights reel may well be dominated by Maddison Levi burning off defenders on her way to the try-line. The 22-year-old Queenslander has been a juggernaut since the Tokyo Games, tearing up try-scoring records in the SVNS world series to help Australia return to the peak of the game. She scored a hat-trick in Madrid last Sunday against Olympic hosts France in the global circuit’s inaugural “Grand Final” to finish the... https://www.scmp.com/sport/rugby/article/3265601/maddison-levi-backing-australias-rugby-sevens-sisters-gold-paris-olympics-2024?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/rugby/article/3265601/maddison-levi-backing-australias-rugby-sevens-sisters-gold-paris-olympics-2024?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 06 Jun 2024 09:30:15 +0000 The health of Hong Kong women’s rugby is on the line when the city clashes with Kazakhstan in a crunch Asia Rugby Championship (ARC) match on Saturday. Japan claimed the ARC title when they followed up an opening victory over Hong Kong with a 64-0 rout of the Kazakhs on Monday. However, the runners-up gain entry into WXV3, the third tier of the elite global competition, which provides a pathway to the 2025 Rugby World Cup – hence the importance of this match. The value Hong Kong have placed on... https://www.scmp.com/sport/rugby/fifteens/article/3264931/asia-rugby-championship-world-cup-spot-and-future-hong-kong-womens-rugby-stake-crunch-kazakhstan?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/rugby/fifteens/article/3264931/asia-rugby-championship-world-cup-spot-and-future-hong-kong-womens-rugby-stake-crunch-kazakhstan?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 01 Jun 2024 00:00:16 +0000 Head coach Royce Chan said Hong Kong’s women could reach a “much better level”, despite delivering a “massive effort” in their 29-12 Asia Rugby Championship defeat by Japan on Wednesday. The seven-position world-ranking gulf between the teams was exposed during a one-sided first half, when the home team struggled to escape their own 22, but defended tremendously to restrict Japan to 12-0 advantage at the break. Chan praised her players for digesting half-time instructions to take more care in... https://www.scmp.com/sport/rugby/fifteens/article/3263694/hong-kongs-women-aiming-higher-after-massive-effort-asia-rugby-championship-loss-japan-kazakhstan?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/rugby/fifteens/article/3263694/hong-kongs-women-aiming-higher-after-massive-effort-asia-rugby-championship-loss-japan-kazakhstan?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 22 May 2024 13:56:11 +0000 Hong Kong had to throw all their major talent at the Asia Rugby Championship (ARC) or risk losing relevance on the international stage, officials said ahead of the women’s tournament starting on Wednesday. With the sevens team also on duty, bosses opted to gut that squad of the likes of skipper Natash Olson-Thorne and try-scoring machine Chong Ka-yan, in favour of the 15s side’s opening encounter with Japan at King’s Park. But Jo Hull, the local governing body’s general manager of rugby... https://www.scmp.com/sport/rugby/fifteens/article/3263557/womens-rugby-world-cup-place-justifies-gutting-sevens-squad-hong-kong-chief-says-ahead-arc-clash?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/rugby/fifteens/article/3263557/womens-rugby-world-cup-place-justifies-gutting-sevens-squad-hong-kong-chief-says-ahead-arc-clash?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 22 May 2024 00:00:15 +0000 Feel strongly about these letters, or any other aspects of the news? Share your views by emailing us your Letter to the Editor at letters@scmp.com or filling in this Google form. Submissions should not exceed 400 words, and must include your full name and address, plus a phone number for verification If anyone is in any doubt that Hong Kong thrives, one only has to witness the magnificent rugby sevens that has just concluded. On display was freedom of expression and happiness as well as... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/letters/article/3258331/what-hong-kong-sevens-success-tells-world?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/letters/article/3258331/what-hong-kong-sevens-success-tells-world?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 10 Apr 2024 06:30:17 +0000 The second day of 2024’s Cathay/HSBC Hong Kong Sevens takes place on Saturday, featuring the world’s 12 best men’s and women’s teams, probably for the last time at the present stadium. Hong Kong are playing for Melrose Claymore titles alongside the main draw. Here is everything you need to know. Hong Kong Sevens schedule Gates open at 7am on Saturday. After some mini rugby, Japan v Spain women kicks off day two at 9.30am. USA and Canada women will try to preserve their 100 per cent winning... https://www.scmp.com/sport/rugby/hk-sevens/article/3258050/hong-kong-sevens-2024-schedule-results-tv-info-tickets-all-you-need-know-day-2?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/rugby/hk-sevens/article/3258050/hong-kong-sevens-2024-schedule-results-tv-info-tickets-all-you-need-know-day-2?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 05 Apr 2024 20:41:15 +0000 USA’s Ilona Maher has had a busy start to her time in the city for the Cathay/HSBC Hong Kong Sevens, meeting the Hong Kong Deaf Rugby Team, rambling the streets of Causeway Bay and filling up on roast duck and pineapple buns. Maher represented her country in at the Tokyo Olympics in 2021, but it was her performance on TikTok that stole the show, with videos about finding love in the cafeteria, her love for a tie-dye bucket hat and social distancing from her coach all going viral. The USA team... https://www.scmp.com/sport/rugby/article/3257991/hong-kong-sevens-usa-star-ilona-maher-enjoys-sights-and-sounds-city-more-teams-first-displays-pitch?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/rugby/article/3257991/hong-kong-sevens-usa-star-ilona-maher-enjoys-sights-and-sounds-city-more-teams-first-displays-pitch?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 05 Apr 2024 10:30:16 +0000 The captains of mainland China’s rugby sevens teams heaped praise on their “old rivals” from Hong Kong on Wednesday, and said they always enjoyed playing in the city and learning from their counterparts. China’s men and women will play in the Melrose Claymore competition that is running as part of the Cathay/HSBC Hong Kong Sevens this week, where they will take on teams from the city, Japan and Thailand. All the matches in the round-robin tournament will take place at Hong Kong Stadium, with a... https://www.scmp.com/sport/hong-kong/article/3257758/hong-kong-sevens-china-captains-full-praise-old-rivals-hong-kong-honoured-be-part-melrose-event?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/hong-kong/article/3257758/hong-kong-sevens-china-captains-full-praise-old-rivals-hong-kong-honoured-be-part-melrose-event?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 04 Apr 2024 00:00:14 +0000 Hong Kong rugby teams need to keep investing in the women’s side of the game or risk getting left behind as the sport continues to progress by leaps and bounds, one of the city’s stars has warned. “A lot of clubs started investing in their women’s programme last season; clubs are recognising that there’s a lot of sponsorship available within the women’s sport,” HKFC Natixis Ice lock Roshini Turner said. “Rugby is growing. If you don’t invest, you’re going to fall behind.” Turner made the... https://www.scmp.com/sport/rugby/hk-sevens/article/3257604/city-must-invest-more-womens-rugby-improve-says-hkfc-natixis-ices-roshini-turner-ahead-tradition?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/rugby/hk-sevens/article/3257604/city-must-invest-more-womens-rugby-improve-says-hkfc-natixis-ices-roshini-turner-ahead-tradition?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 02 Apr 2024 11:12:51 +0000 Hong Kong’s men got off to a flying start in the second round of the World Rugby Sevens Challenger series, hammering Japan and coming from behind to beat Chile to end the first day in Uruguay unbeaten. The city’s women made the best possible start in their pool, beating Dubai runners-up Kenya 12-0 on the back of two Natasha Olson-Thorne tries, but they then lost 24-5 to Belgium, who finished the day top of the group having earlier downed Papua New Guinea 37-5. Jevon Groves’ men ran in six tries,... https://www.scmp.com/sport/rugby/hk-sevens/article/3254780/hong-kongs-men-crush-japan-flying-start-world-rugby-sevens-challenger-event-uruguay?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/rugby/hk-sevens/article/3254780/hong-kongs-men-crush-japan-flying-start-world-rugby-sevens-challenger-event-uruguay?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 09 Mar 2024 04:41:45 +0000