Ex-Hong Kong coach George Simpkin persuaded Taiwan union to change name so mainland China could join World Rugby, assistant says
- Taiwan’s then official name of ‘Republic of China’ was an obstacle to the mainland’s hopes of becoming part of the global rugby family
- The Chinese Rugby Union was eventually formed and became part of the then International Rugby Board in 1997
China may not be a major rugby power but what they have achieved is the result of George Simpkin’s efforts in the mid-90s to clear a political path for the mainland to be part of the global family, according to a close associate.
KK Chiu, Simpkin’s right-hand man at the Hong Kong Rugby Union in the 90s, said the mainland was prevented from joining the International Rugby Board – as governing body World Rugby was known then – because of Taiwan.
He said the Taiwanese union was using the name Republic of China because the sport, at the time, was not part of the Olympic movement, which only recognised the name “Chinese Taipei” for the island.
“It was George who approached the Taiwanese union and asked them if they could drop ‘Republic of China’ and use ‘Chinese Taipei’ instead,” said Chiu. “It was the main thing stopping the IRB from recognising mainland China.
“If George didn’t take this action in the 1990s, I don’t think rugby in China will have ever had the chance to become established.”