HONG KONG CHINA RUGBY SETS SIGHTS ON SEVENTH STRAIGNT ASIA RUGBY CHAMPIONSHIP TITLE AGAINST KOREA

Hong Kong China Rugby (HKCR) will play Korea at Hong Kong Football Club on Sunday, 7 June (kick off at 16:30), a win would seal a seventh straight Asian title for Hong Kong China Rugby.

With 30 players from the contracted Rugby World Cup training squad having recently returned from their warm-up series in Japan - a tour capped by an important first win over Japan Select XV, the matchday 23 for Korea will primarily be constituted from the side that came from behind in the final seconds to beat Sri Lanka in Colombo on 24 May.

That group featured 16 debutants, supported by a core of experienced players like forwards Patrick Jenkinson and James Holmes, and winger Charles Higson-Smith.  Higson-Smith and debutant forward Dana Fourie both joined the Rugby World Cup training squad in Japan after the match in Sri Lanka.

With the city’s Rugby World Cup hopefuls now back in town and busy preparing for a 30-day trip to the Nations Cup in Uruguay later this month, another coterie of players will join the ARC XV for the final match according to HKCR Head of Elite Coaching and Technical Development, Andrew Douglas.

“We will be adding a few more to the squad for the game against Korea,” confirmed Douglas. 

“We have guys that need game time, you know, some guys had limited minutes in Japan. For some, it is a matter of getting them more game conditioning, and some just because they need a chance to prove a point you know, that they need to be included for South America; various reasons there, but it is a great opportunity for all of them.

“Obviously, we want to win the ARC, so we'll send out a much stronger team for Korea,” Douglas added.

That group will include the four Rugby World Cup training squad members who shuttled for the Sri Lanka match: Holmes, Joe Knight (who earned his first cap in the ARC opener), and Dylan McCann. Charles Higson-Smith gets a third call up in as many weeks on the wing.

“Charles and Dana [Fourie] did a really good job for us in Japan. They had an opportunity against Sri Lanka and they probably wanted to perform a bit better, so coming into us they had a point to prove, and I think they did that really well,” said Douglas of Fourie and Higson-Smith who earns a third call up in as many weeks.

With prop forward places at a premium for the Nations Cup, front rowers Callum McFeat-Smith and Sunia Fameitau will come across to help manage Korea's traditionally bulky packs. Jack Bartlett and experienced campaigner Kyle Sullivan will further reinforce the pack.

Scrumhalf Brendon Nell comes in after the birth of a child delayed his arrival in Japan; he is joined by Jack Abbott and Murray Brechin in the backs.

“The guys from our squad that are going across to play are really excited; it is a home game, home crowd. We have talked with them about the opportunity they have now and to give some impact and leadership to the ARC group. 

“They want to get into it. They are really excited, and I am excited to watch them play,” Douglas added.

“In Sri Lanka, there were a large number of debuts. The idea is to grow our depth and give young guys some experience and we achieved that; it was a mixed performance and we probably got through on sheer guts rather than any technical expertise really. But the team showed that they wanted to work hard for each other.

We would love a more polished performance against Korea and I think we should see some improvement,” added Douglas.

The ARC campaign has done more than just build depth amongst players, the HKCR’s Premiership Club Coaching Officers are managing the Asia Rugby Championship campaign under the oversight of Douglas and the support of the Rugby World Cup squad coaching team.

A win over Korea will see Hong Kong clear to its seventh straight Asian rugby title.

“Like the players, they have only had one game together, their coaching group, and it was Sri Lanka, and for some of them, you know, it is the first time on that sort of stage. These coaches are really excited, and they are working really hard. 

“They have done a great job bringing a very inexperienced group together, and I really think they have probably gotten the best out of some players, which is great to see,” Douglas added.

Tickets for the match are available at https://www.tickets.hkrugby.com.

The match will be streamed via HKCR's YouTube channel.

HONG KONG CHINA vs KOREA SQAUD

Asia Rugby Championship 7 June 2026

PLAYERS

1. James HOLMES
2. Luke DEWAR*
3. Sunia FAMEITAU
4. Glenn HUI
5. Kyle SULLIVAN
6. Dana FOURIE
7. Joseph KNIGHT
8. Jack BARTLETT
9. Brendon NELL
10. Oliver PYLE
11. Murray BRECHIN
12. Barnaby HORBERRY
13. Dean SQUIRE ©
14. Charles HIGSON-SMITH
15. Dylan McCANN
16. NG Siu Lung
17. Thomas CONCU
18. Callum McFEAT-SMITH
19. Connor O’BYRNE
20. Dean ROSSOUW
21. Emanuel LAI*
22. Jack ABBOTT
23. Dylan WHITE

*Potential debutant 

TEAM MANAGEMENT 

Nigel HOTHAM - Head Coach 

Ben SIFFLEET - Coach 

Ngatai WALKER - Coach 

Lewis WILSON - Coach

Augustine LEGER - Coach

Sophie RAINE - Physiotherapist

Emma WARNER - Team Doctor 

Jake MARTIN - Analyst

Brendan IRELAND - Team Manager