MATCH PREVIEW AND SQUAD – KOREA VS HONG KONG CHINA

Asia Rugby Emirates Men’s Championship 2025 – All Fixtures

• Friday 13 June: Sri Lanka 34-38 Korea (Colombo, Sri Lanka)
• Saturday 14 June: United Arab Emirates 10-43 Hong Kong China (Dubai, UAE) 
• Saturday 21 June: Korea 36-38 UAE (Incheon, Korea)
• Sunday 22 June: Hong Kong China 78-7 Sri Lanka (Kai Tak Youth Sports Ground, Hong Kong)
• Friday 4 July: Sri Lanka vs UAE (Colombo, Sri Lanka)
• Saturday 5 July: Korea vs Hong Kong China (Incheon, Korea)

Hong Kong China Men’s XVs Raring To Go And Make History in Incheon

Hong Kong China Men’s XVs travel to Korea this weekend for the final and deciding game of the Asia Rugby Emirates Men’s Championship 2025. The clash between the top two sides in the table – that will determine which team qualifies automatically for the Men's Rugby World Cup 2027 (read full qualification scenarios here) – takes place on Saturday 5 July at Incheon's Namdong Asiad Rugby Stadium (KO 2PM HKT / 3PM Local). Fans can watch live via the Asia Rugby Live Youtube Channel. 

Hong Kong China Squad Vs Korea

Player (Club):

1. Sunia FAMEITAU (HKU Sandy Bay) 
2. Alexander POST (Richmond)
3. Keelan CHAPMAN (Hong Kong Football Club) 
4. Mark PRIOR (HKU Sandy Bay)
5. Patrick JENKINSON (Hong Kong Football Club) 
6. Callum McCULLOUGH (Hong Kong Football Club) 
7. James SAWYER (Valley)
8. Joshua HRSTICH © (Hong Kong Football Club)  
9. Jack COMBES (USRC Tigers) 
10. Nathan DE THIERRY (Hunter Wildfires)
11. Harry SAYERS (Valley) 
12. Thomas HILL (Hong Kong Football Club) 
13. Ben AXTEN-BURRETT (Hong Kong Football Club)
14. Paul ALTIER (SOC Rugby)
15. Matt WORLEY (Bedford Blues RFC)
16. Calum SCOTT (London Scottish)
17. Rory CINNAMOND (HKU Sandy Bay) 
18. Faizal SOLOMONA PENESA (HK Scottish) 
19. Luke VAN DER SMIT (Valley) 
20. Pierce MACKINLAY WEST (Hong Kong Football Club)
21. James CHRISTIE (HK Scottish) 
22. Joseph BARKER (Kowloon)
23. Max DENMARK (Hong Kong Football Club)

Travelling Reserves:

Zacceus CINNAMOND (HKU Sandy Bay)
Harry BARON (HK Scottish) 
Alessandro NARDONI (HK Scottish) 
Tyler McNUTT (Hong Kong Football Club)
Matteo AVITABILE (Hong Kong Football Club)

Team Management: 

Andrew DOUGLAS (Head Coach) 
Lewis EVANS (Coach) 
Logan ASPLIN (Coach) 
Marno MEYER (Coach) 
Alex ALLAN (Coach)
Pete NUGENT (S&C Coach) 
Ian BONNET (S&C Coach) 
Andy YUEN (Analyst) 
Henry ELLIOTT (Physiotherapist) 
Jonathan MOSES (Physiotherapist) 
Charles CHEUNG (Team Manager)

Match Preview

Hong Kong China Men’s XVs have headed to Incheon ahead of the final match of the 2025 Asia Rugby Emirates Men’s Championship, with a settled squad set to take on Korea on Saturday 5 July at the Namdong Asiad Rugby Stadium (KO 2PM HKT / 3PM Local).

The permutations have been calculated, and if our men win in Incheon, they will book a historic first-ever ticket to a Rugby World Cup. Head Coach Andrew Douglas has selected a consistent squad, and all of the matchday members have already seen game time in this Championship. The starting backline is the same that beat Sri Lanka, with Max Denmark coming into the reserves. There has been a shuffle around in the forwards.

Following the victory over Sri Lanka in round two, Paul Altier said, "It's unbelievable playing with this team and for a place where I grew up my whole life. I don't think the fans and general public understand the passion we have for the jersey, especially for a lot of us who grew up and experienced our childhood here. To go to the World Cup with this group will be a special achievement."

Of the 18 tries scored across the opening two games by the squad, nine have been scored by forwards, eight by the backs, and one penalty try.

One of the backs who has shone during the Championship is Matt Worley. He has scored four times so far, and his tally for Hong Kong China now stands at 16 tries in 14 appearances – not a bad strike rate. He has previously spent club time with Racing Metro in France through an exchange programme, Northampton Saints, and has spent the last six years with the Bedford Blues in the RFU Championship in England.

He is one of a handful of players in the squad who compete in the Championship, and all have spoken highly of the support their clubs have given them to chase this Rugby World Cup dream with HKCR. Worley said:

"I have had good support from the lads at Bedford about coming to Hong Kong and pushing for the World Cup. The opportunity we have on Saturday is one I don't think many kids in Hong Kong have ever dreamed of. So it's pretty special for that to be the opportunity that we have to play for."

Scrumhalf Jack Coombes will have started all three matches, and the key playmaker was born in Hong Kong but has spent time in the UK. He returned to join the Hong Kong Sports Institute as an academy and youth coach for the Sevens programme and has been capped in Sevens and Fifteens. In fact, he has represented Hong Kong China at every National Age Grade from U14s through to the Seniors.

He said of the performance against the UAE in the opener, "I don't think we performed to our expectations as a group. I think we left a lot out there. But I think the key decider in the two games has been our set-piece dominance. I think our front five and our back row have been outstanding."

One of those in the front row is hooker Alex Post, who is another key personnel who was born in Hong Kong. He currently plays for Richmond RFC in the RFU Championship and is the second-most capped (22) player in the wider Hong Kong China Men’s squad, earning his first cap in 2016 against Kenya.

He has scored tries across the past two Championships and says he enjoys playing with the group. "There are lots of familiar faces in the setup, but also a lot of guys I have played with for a long time, such as Joshua Hrstich, Luke Van Der Smit, and James Sawyer, and that's just in the back row. 

"We have to give credit to the Strength and Conditioning team as they have got the guys in great shape – notably Pete Nugent who is in charge of the programme – and even in the time I have been here for the past two months, I feel athletically a lot better.

"Douggie (Head Coach Andrew Douglas) is such a good coach and someone I like to play for. He and the team have established really good, talented depth, and I think we could see that across the first two games, with the impact the guys had off the bench."

What To Expect From Korea

Alex Post commented on the trust the team has in their system. "Overall, the boys have been raring to go and I think have done the talking on the pitch so far, and hopefully we can do the same on Saturday against Korea. 

"In terms of what Korea will bring, they have a fast pace and some serious athletes; their backline is seriously quick, so there are a lot of threats there. There are also some opportunities we have identified in some areas, and we will look to target those. 

"The focus has been on our process, our jobs, and our own roles. We know that if we can be at our best, then we should put ourselves in a good place."

What Would Qualifying For A Rugby World Cup Mean?

Worley explained, "It would mean so much if we were able to do it for Hong Kong China. I think it would mean so much to us as players, but also to all the fans, the younger kids who are probably looking at the team as role models. I think it would inspire the next generation of rugby in Hong Kong."

Combes grew up playing youth rugby with the USRC Tigers until he was 16 years old. "Being a five-year-old playing for the Tigers in Hong Kong, to then have the vision of picturing yourself playing in a World Cup… well, if you told me this 10-15 years ago, I wouldn't have believed you."

Post added, "It is something I have worked towards for a long time, and I am only 29, but I don't feel like a spring chicken, and I don't know how many other opportunities I would get. It's something I have always wanted to do – to play in the Rugby World Cup. It is the biggest stage for rugby in 15s, and it's the pinnacle of the sport."

This article was posted in collaboration with our good friends at RugbyAsia247 – check them out for all the latest Asia Rugby news!