HONG KONG CHINA NAME TEAM FOR ASIA RUGBY CHAMPIONSHIP OPENER VERSUS SRI LANKA

Hong Kong China Rugby (HKCR) has named the Hong Kong Select squad to contest the opening match of the Asia Rugby Championship (ARC) against Sri Lanka on Sunday, 24 May as the team hunts for 7th championship title.

With 30 players of the contracted Rugby World Cup training squad currently in Japan for a two-match series, the matchday 23 for the game against Sri Lanka features up to 17 potential debuts, including centre Dean Squires, who will earn his first cap and captain the side in Colombo.

The 17 players are new names on the HKCR team sheet but familiar faces for fans of the HKCR Premiership.

A core of RWC-contracted players has also been seconded to the ARC squad for the opener against Sri Lanka with back rower Dana Fourie, wing Charles Higson-Smith and fullback Dylan McCann starting against Sri Lanka, while forward James Holmes will start on the reserves bench.  

Fourie, who is in line for his debut cap against Sri Lanka, and Higson-Smith will travel to join the RWC squad in Japan for their second match against Japan Select on 29 May in Fukuoka.

“Players that play in Sri Lanka will likely play the same amount of minutes as they may play in two games in Japan. It is an opportunity for guys with the ARC squad if they perform exceptionally well against Sri Lanka. They’ve got an opportunity to go and become a leader and likely play 80 minutes,” said HKCR Head Coach Logan Asplin.

A number of previously capped players are also named against Sri Lanka, notably Premiership standout Patrick Jenkinson who will join the RWC squad on a part-time basis going forward due to work commitments, as well as Tang Man Chung and Dylan White.

Oliver Clarke is also in line for his senior debut after captaining Hong Kong China Rugby at U20 and U19 levels. He has been named to the reserves bench for Sri Lanka as he looks to follow the pathway of players like Pierce Mackinlay-West, James Christie who have captained Hong Kong at XVs and VIIs and Max Threlkeld who is currently in the city’s contracted Rugby World Cup training squad.

The HKCR Select XV programme is being driven by the HKCR’s Club Coaching Officers and offers a parallel test-cap opportunity for the city’s elite fifteens players.

“It’s a shift across, it’s not a step down,” said Asplin of the Sri Lanka fixture.

“For some of them that will be their Hong Kong debut. We never degrade the jersey. Our players are big on that. This fixture is still a test cap, and they will approach it that way,” concluded Asplin.

Kick off in Sri Lanka is on Sunday, 24 May at 1730.  

The match can be viewed via YouTube here.

HONG KONG CHINA vs SRI LANKA

Asia Rugby Championship 24 May 2026

1. Thomas CONCU*, 2. TANG Man Chun, 3. David BENNETT*, 4. Patrick JENKINSON (vice captain), 5. Glenn HUI*, 6. Dana FOURIE*, 7. Joseph KNIGHT*, 8. Dean ROUSSOW*, 9 Emanuel LAI*, 10. Oliver PYLE*, 11. Huw ALEXANDER*, 12. Barnaby HORBERRY*, 13. Dean SQUIRES* (Captain), 14. Charles HIGSON-SMITH, 15. Dylan McCANN 16. NG Siu Lung*, 17. James HOLMES, 18. Struan MAIN*, 19. Connor O’BYRNE*, 20. Oliver CLARKE*, 21. Anthony COEBERGH*, 22. Dylan WHITE, 23. Alexander MOSES*

Denotes potential debutant