https://www.scmp.com/rss/524493/feed The latest news and updates on Andrew Douglas, a highly experienced New Zealand rugby coach, currently serving as Head of Technical and Elite Coaching at Hong Kong China Rugby and Head Coach of the men’s national team. He is guiding their 2027 Rugby World Cup qualification bid, having recently led them to the Asia Rugby Championship title and historic wins in South America. His extensive background includes coaching New Zealand Schools, Waikato Rugby Union, Italian club Biella (achieving... en https://assets.i-scmp.com/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www.scmp.com Josh Ball Josh Ball Hong Kong fly-half Gregor McNeish has been forced to retire through injury, dealing a blow to the city’s preparations for next year’s Rugby World Cup in Australia. The 33-year-old, who sealed the 2022 Asian Rugby Championship title with the last kick of a breathtaking game against South Korea, has been battling concussion issues for some time and decided he was unable to carry on. McNeish was named in Hong Kong China Rugby’s 35-strong squad of full-time players at the end of 2025, and had been... https://www.scmp.com/sport/rugby/fifteens/article/3341694/gregor-mcneish-forced-retire-blow-hong-kongs-rugby-world-cup-plans?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/rugby/fifteens/article/3341694/gregor-mcneish-forced-retire-blow-hong-kongs-rugby-world-cup-plans?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 29 Jan 2026 11:00:16 +0000 Josh Ball Josh Ball Hong Kong host ACT Brumbies on Saturday still searching for the combinations that will carry the team into the 2027 Rugby World Cup. A week on from the disappointing loss to Japan A, Andrew Douglas has opted for a new front row, a change at fly-half and centre, and a fresh face among the replacements for the game against the Australian side at Football Club. The game comes just days after Luke van der Smit, the No 8, made his failed drugs test public, and on the back of a perfomance against... https://www.scmp.com/sport/rugby/fifteens/article/3331955/hong-kong-face-act-brumbies-seeking-signs-progress-road-rugby-world-cup?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/rugby/fifteens/article/3331955/hong-kong-face-act-brumbies-seeking-signs-progress-road-rugby-world-cup?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 07 Nov 2025 09:41:09 +0000 Josh Ball Josh Ball Hong Kong got the reality check their Rugby World Cup preparations probably needed from Japan A on Friday, not that it lessened the disappointment for Andrew Douglas. The visitors, who lost by more than 60 points to their Australian counterparts last week, handed out a drubbing of their own at Kai Tak Stadium, running in nine tries in a 59-14 victory. Yuya Hirose got the rout started in the fourth minute, and it was largely one-way traffic from there on out. The centre scored a brace, with... https://www.scmp.com/sport/rugby/international-rugby/article/3330272/hong-kong-handed-9-try-rugby-world-cup-reality-check-japan?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/rugby/international-rugby/article/3330272/hong-kong-handed-9-try-rugby-world-cup-reality-check-japan?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 24 Oct 2025 14:30:09 +0000 SCMP Sport SCMP Sport A much-changed Hong Kong slipped to a 28-21 defeat against Mazda Hiroshima Skyactivs on Saturday, with head coach Andrew Douglas “pretty happy” with what he saw from a side including six debutants. Wing Dylan McCann, young scrum-half Eric Chui Wai-lap and forward Max Murphy all made a strong impression in Fukuoka, as did veteran lock Kyle Sullivan, whom Douglas singled out for his “outstanding” performance. Tied 21-all at half-time, the home side, who play their rugby in League One, got the... https://www.scmp.com/sport/rugby/hong-kong-rugby-union/article/3328694/hong-kong-rugby-coach-pretty-happy-new-look-side-despite-narrow-loss-japan-club?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/rugby/hong-kong-rugby-union/article/3328694/hong-kong-rugby-coach-pretty-happy-new-look-side-despite-narrow-loss-japan-club?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 12 Oct 2025 08:43:07 +0000 Josh Ball Josh Ball Hong Kong’s men travelled to Japan on Friday, ready to put nine weeks of pre-season training to the test in two “really important games” against professional opposition. Matches against Mazda Hiroshima Skyactivs and LeRIRO Fukuoka will give head coach Logan Asplin and director of rugby Andrew Douglas the chance to see how far the squad have come since qualifying for the 2027 Rugby World Cup. Most of the 35 players Hong Kong China Rugby has signed to contracts will make the trip, with 25 players... https://www.scmp.com/sport/hong-kong/article/3328592/rugby-world-cup-2027-japan-tour-gauges-hong-kongs-progress-road-australia?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/hong-kong/article/3328592/rugby-world-cup-2027-japan-tour-gauges-hong-kongs-progress-road-australia?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 11 Oct 2025 01:00:16 +0000 Josh Ball Josh Ball Little more than six weeks after qualifying for a men’s Rugby World Cup for the first time, Hong Kong have changed their head coach. After leading the city’s successful Asia Ruby Championship campaign to reach the 2027 tournament in Australia, Andrew Douglas is to focus on his role as head of technical rugby, with assistant Logan Asplin making the step up. Douglas had been juggling both positions since being appointed in 2023, but will now take on an expanded role that includes overseeing a new... https://www.scmp.com/sport/rugby/hong-kong-rugby-union/article/3322189/hong-kong-make-change-head-coach-6-weeks-after-qualifying-2027-rugby-world-cup?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/rugby/hong-kong-rugby-union/article/3322189/hong-kong-make-change-head-coach-6-weeks-after-qualifying-2027-rugby-world-cup?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 18 Aug 2025 06:00:17 +0000 Josh Ball Josh Ball Three years ago, Tom Hill was contemplating a one-and-only shot at qualifying for a Rugby World Cup. In his 30s, the Australian-born centre considered the 2022 global repechage tournament in Dubai to be a singular chance to reach the pinnacle of his sport, having already committed five years to doing so. Days before the team flew to the Middle East, Hill told the Post he would not “get another shot in four years’ time – this is it”. “I think most [of the squad] are like that, some of the younger... https://www.scmp.com/sport/rugby/hong-kong-rugby-union/article/3317120/hong-kong-heros-emotional-journey-2027-rugby-world-cup?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/rugby/hong-kong-rugby-union/article/3317120/hong-kong-heros-emotional-journey-2027-rugby-world-cup?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 07 Jul 2025 00:00:18 +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 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