HKCR RWC 2027 SQUAD TARGETS PERFORMANCE GROWTH IN JAPAN SERIES

The Hong Kong China Rugby (HKCR) men's representative XV is embarking on a crucial two-match series versus ‘Japan Select’ this month, in what marks the start of a demanding international calendar this summer that will offer a key performance benchmark for the team’s preparations for a Rugby World Cup debut in 2027. 

The matches, on Friday, 22 May (1700 Hong Kong time) in Ōita, and Friday, 29 May (1030 Hong Kong time) in Fukuoka, will see Hong Kong compete against a Japanese side similar to that which visited Hong Kong in October 2025 in the first XVs match played in Kai Tak Stadium.

The Japan tour forms part of a broader international schedule that includes fixtures against Waikato in New Zealand and then the Nations Cup in South America in July, where Hong Kong will face off against RWC 2027 pool-mates Chile for the first time in nearly two years. 

Given the teams last played just six months ago, the Japan Select series represents a significant opportunity for the management team to assess player development ahead of the Nations Cup.    

HKCR Head Coach Logan Asplin said: “This is a side we know well, and they’ve set a high standard. For us, this tour is about showing clear growth—staying competitive for longer, executing under pressure, and really challenging ourselves against quality opposition. We have made strong strides physically as a group, now it is about transferring that into consistent performances on the pitch.” 

While fielding multiple Hong Kong fifteens squads across Asia would have been a challenge at the start of the Rugby World Cup era, two representative squads will be in action this month with the HKCR out to claim the Asia Rugby Championship for a 7th straight time.   The Asia Rugby Championship will be played concurrently with the Hong Kong-Japan Select series.  A Hong Kong Select side will play Sri Lanka in Colombo on Sunday, 24 May, and Korea at home on 7 June.

Five players from the contracted Rugby World Cup training squad have been seconded to the Hong Kong Select team for the opening fixture away in Sri Lanka. 

The test of Hong Kong’s strength in depth has been highly welcomed by the performance chiefs at HKCR.  

HKCR Head of Technical Rugby Andrew Douglas said: “We need games. In the two years leading up to qualifying for the Rugby World Cup we only played one team (Chile) ranked higher than us in the world. In the next two years we won’t play anyone ranked lower than us. We are entering a really important phase now, where performance, resilience, and adaptability are being tested week to week. Facing strong, higher-ranked teams in quick succession is exactly the kind of exposure this group needs.” 

A 30-player travelling group (including Charles Higson-Smith and Dana Fourie, who will join after the ARC game in Sri Lanka) has been named for Japan, but the intensity of travel and schedule at the Nations Cup in July will change the composition of the final 30-man group named for the summer with the team needing greater positional depth given the travel distance and intensity of match schedules. 

With over 50 elite men’s fifteens athletes in action in two different countries over the next three weekends, the competition for spots will be intense in the coming weeks. 

“These are big opportunities for every player in the squad,” confirmed Logan Asplin. 

“We have worked hard to build greater depth across the programme and competition for places is driving standards every day in training. That is essential if we are going to succeed at the next level,” said Asplin.  

“We do not get many chances to play matches at this level, so there’s real hunger to perform and earn places in the group moving forward. Playing the same opposition twice gives us, as coaches, a very clear measure. We will know straight away where we have improved and what we need to keep working on,” he added. 

Tickets for the Hong Kong China Rugby versus Korea match at the Hong Kong Football Club on 7 June (K.O. 4:30PM) are available now at tickets.hkrugby.com  

To view our Men’s XVs Media Guide, with information on each player on our full-time programme, please click here.

https://resources.hkrugby.com/resource/hong_kong_china_men's_x_vs_media_guide(_may2026).pdf

HKCR XV Tour Squad vs Japan Select (May 2026): 

Josh HRSTICH (C); Tom HILL (vice-captain); Sunia FAMEITAU; Zacceus CINNAMOND; Callum MCFEAT-SMITH; Rory CINNAMOND; Keelan CHAPMAN; Harry BARON; Max MURPHY; Lachlan DOHENY; James RIVERS; Kyle SULLIVAN; Tyler McNUTT; Pierce MACKINLAY-WEST; James SAWYER; Jude HARDING; Brendon NELL;  Dana FOURIE*; Charles HIGSON-SMITH*; Jack BARTLETT; Joseph BARKER; Matteo AVITABILE; Isaac CAMPBELL-WU; Max THRELKELD; Matt WORLEY; CHUI Wai Lap; Marcus RAMAGE; Harry SAYERS, Guy SPANTON, Paul ALTIER 

*will join Japan Tour after the ARC match in Sri Lanka

HKCR XV ARC Travelling Squad vs Sri Lanka (May 2026): 

David BENNETT*; Oliver CLARKE*; Thomas CONCU*; Dana FOURIE*; James HOLMES; Glenn HUI*; Patrick JENKINSON; Joseph KNIGHT*; Struan MAIN*; NG Siu Lung*; Connor O’BYRNE*; Dean ROSSOUW*; TANG Man Chun; Huw ALEXANDER*; Anthony COEBERGH*; Charles HIGSON SMITH; Barnaby HORBERRY*; Emanuel LAI*; Dylan McCANN; Alexander MOSES*; Oliver PYLE*; Dean SQUIRE*; Dylan WHITE *Potential debutant