Hrstich ‘super, super proud’ as Hong Kong men make Rugby World Cup history
A 70-22 victory over South Korea in Incheon sees men’s team qualify for global tournament for first time
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 break.
Not for the first time, a dominant forward performance was the bedrock for the victory, and it was no coincidence that the pack scored six of the tries.
Alex Post and Josh Hrstich each bagged a brace, while James Sawyer and Luke van der Smit added ones of their own. The backs, meanwhile, had Matt Worley, Paul Altier, Harry Sayers and Max Denmark cross the line.
“It’s pretty overwhelming to be honest,” Hrstich, the Hong Kong captain, said. “Just super, super proud of our playing group, our management, coaching staff and people behind the scenes. There’s a lot that goes into making a team successful.