Global Rapid Rugby and South China Tigers coming to Hong Kong for two games in 2019
- The condensed ‘showcase season’ of Global Rapid Rugby will feature 14 games with two in Hong Kong
- Andrew Forrest’s rugby series’ first full season has been pushed back to 2020
Although the first full season of Australian mining billionaire Andrew Forrest’s Global Rapid Rugby has been pushed back a year, a “showcase series” for 2019 has been unveiled.
The series will feature 14 games at six venues throughout Asia, the region, and the Hong Kong-based South China Tigers will play their first ever game on March 29 against the Western Force in Perth.
The Tigers will then play a match in Singapore against the Asia Pacific Dragonson April 28, followed by a clash with Forrest’s Force in Hong Kong on May 12.
GRR’s head of rugby, Matt Hodgson, said: “I appreciate a lot of people have been waiting for the 2019 draw to be released, so thank you for your patience. If it’s as half as good as we expect, it will be worth the wait.”
The showcase series also features teams from Fiji and Samoa, but Hong Kong will only play against the Dragons and the Force. There will also be a game between the Force and a World XV team billed as an “all-star” squad, led by former Australian Wallabies and New Zealand Crusaders coach Robbie Deans.