Hong Kong ready for ‘harsh reality’ of Rugby World Cup, but coach ‘proud’ of progress
Head coach Logan Asplin is under no illusions about the ‘pretty tough’ fixtures that lie ahead in preparation for the 2027 tournament
Hong Kong head coach Logan Asplin is under no illusions as to the “harsh reality” his side will face over the next 18 months as they prepare for the 2027 Rugby World Cup.
The tournament’s opening game against Australia on October 1, followed by Chile and then the All Blacks two weeks later, will be preceded this year and next by Test matches against higher-ranked opposition in the Nations Cup and as many training games as can be arranged before the main event.
The side’s South American rivals in Pool A of the World Cup, Samoa, Uruguay, Canada, the USA and Tonga all await between now and November, with the potential for clashes against a Japan XV and others also on the horizon.
It is a run of “pretty tough” fixtures, but one Asplin is also “ecstatic and proud” for Hong Kong, who are ranked 23rd in the world, to be playing.
“I remember we played Germany at home on a Tuesday night in November 2023 at So Kon Po [a ground with no seating], and although there’s been some frustrations along the way, there’s been a heck of a lot of progress that’s been made,” Asplin said.
“I think we’re still heading in the right direction and so [I’m] pretty proud of all of us and what we’ve achieved.”
