Women's rugby team in China hold hopes for the nation
Olympic recognition has been a boon for the women's game on the mainland, expanding the pool of players beyond major centres
Romance and matrimony have robbed China of their most experienced players but thankfully the mainland rugby gene-pool is bigger these days and there is hope in the air as the mainland women get their second World Cup campaign under way.
Four years ago in Dubai, China finished ninth out of the 16 teams participating in the inaugural Women's World Cup Sevens. That tournament had more to do with getting rugby sevens into the Olympic Games - to prove to the world, and especially the International Olympic Committee, that the sport was a game for both sexes.
Having achieved that goal - six months after Dubai the IOC voted rugby sevens in as a medal sport from the 2016 Games - the International Rugby Board has now turned a more serious eye on developing the women's game, having also put in place a women's World Series.
But it is the Olympics that have been a boon for China. Its women's head coach, Zheng Hongjun, says because of the Olympics, he has more players to pick from. Recent figures show that China has nearly 3,000 women playing rugby.
"I have lost a number of key, experienced players from four year ago because they either gave up rugby to get married or wished to continue their studies. But today more provinces are playing sevens and have women's teams so there are more players to pick from," Zheng said.