CHARTING COURSE FOR RUGBY WORLD CUP 2029: HKCR WOMEN’S TEAM SET TO WELCOME RUGBY WORLD AT WXV CHALLENGER GLOBAL SERIES 2026

The captains of the six international unions competing in the World Rugby WXV Global Challenger Series Hong Kong 2026 gathered on the city’s  majestic Victoria Harbour before their teams chart course for Rugby World Cup 2029 over the coming month in the city. 
 

Anticipation is building ahead of the  opening round at the Kai Tak Youth Sports Ground on Sunday, (13 Sep.) with hometown heroes Hong Kong China Rugby (HKCR) set to play their first home matches since 2024.  
 

The second and third rounds are on Saturdays, 19 and 26, September. The WXV Global Challenger Series brings together emerging rugby nations from four continents in a competition that provides a critical platform for development and progression towards future Rugby World Cup qualification.  
 

Hong Kong is hosting the tournament for the first time, welcoming elite women's rugby to the city with nine international matches across three rounds of competition. Local fans will be very familiar with one of the participating teams in Fiji, with their men’s seven-a-side team inextricably linked with the city’s rugby scene. 
 

Fiji captain Kolora Lomani hopes her side, the highest ranked in the competition at 13th in the world, will leave a similar impact. 
 

“In Fiji, we're known for our sevens rugby, and I think it’s similar in our fifteens where we try to bring that flair into our game. We're looking forward to being able to show that here in Hong Kong, but in fifteen-a-side. We have a thing we call Fijiana game, which is an offload game. We just have to set the platform to go forward and space will open up for us, and we will have opportunities to be able to show what we're capable of.”

All of the teams will be out to express themselves when the action begins with a triple-header of riveting rugby at Kai Tak Youth Sports Ground on Sunday:

Spain vs Fiji - 12.00 pm
Hong Kong China vs Brazil - 3.30 pm
Samoa vs Netherlands - 7.00 pm 

HKCR co-captain Jasmine Fung Hoi Ching said: “We are very excited to be playing in front of our home crowd for the first time in two years. It isn’t too often we have big international competitions like this at home, especially against these big teams. This is a milestone for us. We want to show rugby fans in Hong Kong, especially the young girls, that Hong Kong’s rugby is competitive on the global stage. We hope through watching us play and seeing our commitment, dedication, and hard work, that they will have their own dreams to play for Hong Kong like us one day.’’

For the hosts, Sunday's clash against Brazil presents a welcome test against an experienced international side, and marks the beginning of a significant chapter for the women's programme. 
 

Brazil are ranked 25th in the world, behind 16th placed Hong Kong China, but are coming off an historic appearance at Rugby World Cup 2025, where they were the first South American nation to qualify.  

Brazil have had an intense build-up ahead of this month’s tournament after cross-continental hit-outs with domestic teams in the USA and warm-up matches against South Africa ‘A’. 
 

HKCR Lead Coach Tumua Ioane said his team is excited by the immediate challenge posed by Brazil, and the broader opportunity presented by hosting the tournament.

“For us, obviously, there's World Cup qualification, and long-term ambitions for the programme at stake, but in terms of this tournament, we want to be really clear with the Hong Kong style. It's no secret that we want to play fast and we want to play to space, so that's how we're going to approach WXV over the three games.”

“We're really happy with the group. We've got some experienced players returning who weren't involved in the Asian championships [in April], and also some of our sevens players like Pun Wai Yan, who captained at the ARC in 2025, and getting our players in from overseas like Chloe Baltazar and the Lynam sisters is big for us. We have four debutants mixed in with some experience and some seasoned players, and everyone is ready to go.”

Looking ahead to the opening fixture, Ioane expects a physical encounter against the South Americans: 

“It's no surprise in terms of what we're in for against the three teams that we're playing. All three packs, and even their backs are big physical types, but also quite athletic as well. 
 

“There will always be challenges for us getting enough fixtures, one to challenge ourselves and see where we are, and to develop the group and the best way to do that is against good competition like this. Brazil are going to be tough up front. They play direct, so it's just about rolling the sleeves up against them.”

The tournament forms a key part of HKCR’s broader vision of growing women's rugby and creating meaningful opportunities for future generations. Alongside world-class competition, the event includes community engagement initiatives, school visits and legacy programmes designed to promote women's sport across the region.

“We've spoken a lot around legacy, in terms of having a home tournament and how we honor what's come before us, and how we can leave something to inspire the next generation in how we perform,” said Ioane.

“For this tournament, we'd love to see the stands full, but it is about more than that. It is about shining the light on female sport a lot more going forward. How do we get people behind the game year-round? How do we get more funding behind the players and the different programmes out there to grow our player base even further,” added Ioane.

With strong ticket demand already recorded and teams now settled in Hong Kong, anticipation is building for a showcase of world-class women's rugby as six international unions set sail towards Rugby World Cup 2029. 
 

The World Rugby WXV Global Challenger Series 2026 Hong Kong is proud to be recognised as an “M” Mark event, reinforcing its status as one of the territory’s premier international sporting occasions. Awarded by the Major Sports Events Committee, the M Mark designation is reserved for events that are intense, spectacular and distinctive highlights of Hong Kong’s annual sporting calendar. 
 

The recognition underscores the tournament’s importance in strengthening Hong Kong’s reputation as Asia’s sports event capital while showcasing elite women’s rugby on the international stage.

Tickets on Sale

Good things come in threes at the WXV with nine world-class games split across three days of triple-header matches and non-stop action. Single round tickets are HK$180 for adults, HK$140 for students, and HK$100 for kids. Reserved seating starts at HK$250. The tournament package offers all three rounds and all games starting from HK$250 for kids, HK$350 for students, and HK$450 for adults. Tickets are on sale through the Hong Kong China Rugby Ticketing Platform and the HKCR Ticketing App.