HKCR SELECT SPLIT SERIES IN JAPAN

Hong Kong China’s Rugby World Cup training squad held on for a tight 33-29 win over Japan Select this morning that featured six lead changes and three tries in the final ten minutes in Fukuoka.   

The result sees the city’s Rugby World Cup 2027 bound ruggers split the two-match series of friendly matches as Hong Kong Rugby warms-up for the Nations Cup tournament in South America in July.   

After enjoying the run of matters in game one, Japan Select – featuring previously qualified Japan players and those soon to be eligible from across the 26 clubs in Japan’s professional league set-up, handed the reigns to the newer players in set-up for match two.  

That was the opening that a Hong Kong China Select, bolstered by the addition of some of the squad’s senior players absent from game one, needed. 

Hong Kong looked as if they might be in trouble early on as they conceded two quick strikes to Japan Select in the first quarter, with the first coming in the third minute of the game. But the visitors struck back well through two of the squad’s more experienced backline threats.

Charles Higson-Smith, who joined the squad this week after playing in the Asia Rugby Championship opener last Saturday, put Hong Kong China Select on the scoreboard for the first time on tour with a try in the 25th minute. 

Centre Tom Hill, one of the side’s senior leaders, stepped up to level the scores at 10-all with his try in the 34th minute.  Fullback Paul Altier’s conversion, one of three on the day, gave Hong Kong China Select its first lead at the break 12-10.

Captain Josh Hrstich was handed a yellow card late in the half, which left Hong Kong China Select short-handed to start the second stanza.  

Japan used the space well to claim the first points after the break with a try to the fullback coming shortly after the restart. The conversion was missed as Japan Select edged ahead 15-12.

Hrstich had his revenge for the sin-bin when he scored soon after returning in the 50th minute to push his side ahead 19-15 in the fourth lead change of the match. 

Japan Select then retook the lead with a converted try in the 65th minute to push ahead first 22-19.

A frenetic finish saw the sides trade scoring punches a further three times in the final ten minutes. A try in the 70th minute for Japan Select seemed to have shut the door for good but Hong Kong China Select dug deep to return to the SAR with a scalp. 

Super sub Tyler McNutt, who started in match one, made an impact when he came on after 55 minutes, capping off a late attack in the 74th minute with a try as Hong Kong China Select trailed 26-29.  

With the game in the balance, one of the top dangermen in all of Hong Kong Rugby, sevens and fifteens representative Harry Sayers stepped up to produce the game-winning try to push ahead 31-29.  Former Hong Kong U20s captain Altier slotted the game-winning conversion, his fourth of the day, as time expired to send Hong Kong China Select home with a win, 33-29.

“It was big for us to get the win at the last minute like that against another quality Japan Select side. We always learn a lot when we are away in high-pressure, high-performance environments like this and this past week has been no different. Today was a performance we can build off as we head into the Nations Cup,” said captain Josh Hrstich after the match.

Hong Kong China Select XV vs Japan Select (29 May 2026):

 1. Rory CINNAMOND; 2. Harry BARON, 3. Zac CINNAMOND, 4. Max MURPHY, 5. James RIVERS; 6. Dana FOURIE; 7. James SAWYER; 8. Josh HRSTICH (Captain); 9. Brendon NELL; 10. Matteo AVITABILE; 11. Harry SAYERS, 12. Tom HILL, 13. Max THRELKELD, 14. Charles HIGSON-SMITH; 15. Paul ALTIER; 16. Harrison KING, 17. Sunia FAMEITAU; 18. Keelan CHAPMAN; 19. Lachlan DOHENY, 20. Tyler MCNUTT; 21. CHUI Wai Lap (Eric); 22. Joe BARKER  23. Marcus RAMAGE 

ENDS