https://www.scmp.com/rss/522293/feed Asia Rugby: A prominent Hong Kong-based regional sports association, Asia Rugby is the governing body for rugby union across Asia, operating under World Rugby. Established in 1968, its primary mission is to promote the sport’s values, foster friendship among Asian countries, and develop rugby from grassroots to elite levels. With headquarters in Hong Kong and operations based in Dubai, it organises over 30 annual events, including the Asia Rugby Championship and Sevens Series, for its 36 member... en https://assets.i-scmp.com/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www.scmp.com Paul McNamara Paul McNamara Ben Gollings believes world rugby chiefs still need to locate the “sweet spot that will bring the attractiveness back to sevens”, after a controversial overhaul last year shrank their marquee HSBC SVNS Series. Sevens royalty following a record-breaking playing career, Englishman Gollings is on the frontline of attempts to grow the sport in India, and he will lead the recently formed franchise team Chennai Bulls in this year’s expanded Tradition HKFC 10s. “We want to provide more opportunities... https://www.scmp.com/sport/rugby/article/3344368/rugby-7s-royalty-ben-gollings-bringing-chennai-bulls-play-hong-kong?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/rugby/article/3344368/rugby-7s-royalty-ben-gollings-bringing-chennai-bulls-play-hong-kong?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 23 Feb 2026 13:00:11 +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 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse Coach Eddie Jones on Monday warned his Japan players they had to bulk up and train harder if they wanted to compete on rugby’s world stage after another bruising European tour. Jones’ side were thrashed by South Africa and Ireland before losing narrowly to Wales and eking out a last-gasp win over Georgia. The tour completed Jones’ second year back in charge of Japan and followed heavy defeats to England, New Zealand and France in 2024. The feisty Australian said he wanted to see candidates for... https://www.scmp.com/sport/rugby/international-rugby/article/3333971/coach-eddie-jones-tells-his-japanese-rugby-players-beef-after-bruising-tour?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/rugby/international-rugby/article/3333971/coach-eddie-jones-tells-his-japanese-rugby-players-beef-after-bruising-tour?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 24 Nov 2025 14:00:11 +0000 Paul McNamara Paul McNamara Hong Kong rugby sevens mainstay Liam Herbert has targeted the twin goals of “getting one up on China”, and earning a HSBC SVNS 3 shot over this weekend’s Asia Rugby Sevens Series leg in Sri Lanka. The city team powered to victory in last month’s first leg in Hangzhou. A repeat performance in Colombo would book their spot in the rebranded global sevens competition and lay down a marker for next month’s National Games at Kai Tak Stadium. “We went to Hangzhou to show what we could do after all the... https://www.scmp.com/sport/rugby/hk-sevens/article/3329209/hong-kong-aim-get-one-china-city-rugby-sevens-teams-gun-asian-joy?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/rugby/hk-sevens/article/3329209/hong-kong-aim-get-one-china-city-rugby-sevens-teams-gun-asian-joy?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 16 Oct 2025 09:30:09 +0000 Paul McNamara Paul McNamara Two-time Asian Games gold medallist Cado Lee Ka-to has said he wants to “see more local faces” in the Hong Kong men’s sevens team. After growing into the city team’s local poster boy following his debut back in 2011, Lee acknowledged that one of his goals had been to “show people it is possible to come from here and represent Hong Kong in rugby”. Lee began playing at college in England, but he credited former Hong Kong head coach Joe Shaw, now in charge of Saracens, with giving him the... https://www.scmp.com/sport/hong-kong/article/3327927/hong-kong-rugby-sevens-star-cado-lee-aiming-inspire-local-talent-national-games?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/hong-kong/article/3327927/hong-kong-rugby-sevens-star-cado-lee-aiming-inspire-local-talent-national-games?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 05 Oct 2025 11:33:16 +0000 Paul McNamara Paul McNamara Hong Kong women’s rugby sevens star Nam Ka-man said her team were “super-proud” after the city’s teams took positive first steps towards the distant goal of reaching global sevens’ elite level this season. Nam and her teammates staged a late comeback in Hangzhou on Sunday to beat Thailand 19-17 in a gripping Asia Rugby Sevens Series third-place play-off. That meant they finished behind only Japan and China, both of whom had already qualified for the revised HSBC SVNS calendar. With that placing,... https://www.scmp.com/sport/rugby/hk-sevens/article/3326311/hong-kong-teams-take-solid-first-steps-towards-world-stage-after-vital-asian-series-wins?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/rugby/hk-sevens/article/3326311/hong-kong-teams-take-solid-first-steps-towards-world-stage-after-vital-asian-series-wins?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 22 Sep 2025 00:00:16 +0000 Josh Ball Josh Ball Hong Kong’s men made history in Incheon on Saturday, qualifying for the Rugby World Cup for the first time – now the real work begins. A 70-22 victory over South Korea sealed a sixth consecutive Asia Rugby Emirates Men’s Championship title and booked a spot at the global tournament in Australia in 2027. Hong Kong will be only the second team from Asia to play in the World Cup after ever-present qualifiers Japan, who have already qualified for 2027 after finishing third in their pool at the 2023... https://www.scmp.com/sport/rugby/international-rugby/article/3317105/hong-kong-have-finally-made-it-rugby-world-cup-now-real-work-begins?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/rugby/international-rugby/article/3317105/hong-kong-have-finally-made-it-rugby-world-cup-now-real-work-begins?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 06 Jul 2025 00:00:22 +0000 Josh Ball Josh Ball Hong Kong’s men made history in Incheon on Saturday, qualifying for the Rugby World Cup for the first time. A 70-22 victory over South Korea sealed a sixth consecutive Asia Rugby Emirates Men’s Championship title and booked a spot at the global tournament in Australia in 2027. Three years ago, Hong Kong escaped with a narrow 23-21 victory, thanks to Gregor McNeish’s final kick of the game. This time, they had run in three tries midway through the first half and were 39 points clear at the... https://www.scmp.com/sport/rugby/hong-kong-rugby-union/article/3317080/hong-kong-men-make-history-qualify-rugby-world-cup-first-time?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/rugby/hong-kong-rugby-union/article/3317080/hong-kong-men-make-history-qualify-rugby-world-cup-first-time?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 05 Jul 2025 07:51:34 +0000 Josh Ball Josh Ball Hong Kong’s road to the 2027 Rugby World Cup is simple: win against South Korea on Saturday, and they are in. Three wins from three in the Asia Rugby Emirates Men’s Championship will mean it’s job done. Lose, and that’s where it could get complicated, especially when you factor in bonus points, which are awarded for scoring four tries or for losing by less than seven points. South Korea, with seven points, go into the match only three behind Hong Kong. So, here are the potential scenarios if the... https://www.scmp.com/sport/rugby/hong-kong-rugby-union/article/3316871/rugby-world-cup-2027-how-hong-kong-can-reach-tournament-win-lose-or-draw-south-korea?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/rugby/hong-kong-rugby-union/article/3316871/rugby-world-cup-2027-how-hong-kong-can-reach-tournament-win-lose-or-draw-south-korea?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 04 Jul 2025 05:30:08 +0000 Josh Ball Josh Ball Having the opportunity to qualify for a Rugby World Cup is not a new scenario for Hong Kong’s men – being this close to the promised land is. Saturday’s equation is frighteningly simple: beat South Korea in the final round of the Asia Rugby Emirates Men’s Championship and they will be part of the 2027 tournament in Australia. It would be the first time the city’s men had ever reached such heights, after the women did so in 2017. Given Hong Kong’s utter domination of the competition since 2018,... https://www.scmp.com/sport/rugby/hong-kong-rugby-union/article/3316521/hong-kong-vow-grab-rugby-world-cup-spot-and-avoid-repechage-roller-coaster?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/rugby/hong-kong-rugby-union/article/3316521/hong-kong-vow-grab-rugby-world-cup-spot-and-avoid-repechage-roller-coaster?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 01 Jul 2025 10:30:08 +0000