HKRU CONFIRMS INVOLVEMENT IN GLOBAL RAPID RUGBY

15th Nov 2018

The Hong Kong Rugby Union (HKRU) is pleased to confirm its involvement in the upcoming Global Rapid Rugby season. 

Hong Kong will field a team under the auspices of the Hong Kong Rugby Union in the upcoming competition, while the organizers have also engaged with REAL Sports and Entertainment, the HKRU events company, to provide competition management services for this groundbreaking new competition.

The team, as announced by Global Rapid Rugby, will be called the South China Tigers and will consist of players from the HKRU’s Elite Rugby Programme and Elite Sevens Athletes Programme, including Hong Kong men’s national fifteen and seven-a-side squad members, players from the HKRU Premiership, and established stars from around the rugby world.

It is hoped that eventually players from rugby associations across the Greater Bay Area will be involved.

Drawing upon REAL’s unparalleled expertise in hosting major international rugby events, including the Cathay Pacific/HSBC Hong Kong Sevens, Bledisloe Cups in 2008 and 2010, and the first ever British & Irish Lions match in Asia in 2013, the organizers have retained the Union to provide competition management services across the 17-week season.

Mr Robbie McRobbie, Chief Executive Officer of the Hong Kong Rugby Union commented on the Union’s involvement saying:

“The HKRU is excited about the potential of Global Rapid Rugby.

“Participating in this innovative new competition will help further our domestic aims, including seasoning and preparing our national team members for international competition, as well as assisting in our efforts to identify and retain eligible players to represent Hong Kong.

“Given the establishment of our first ever professional rugby programmes in the last decade, and our current participation in the Rugby World Cup 2019 repechage in France, it makes sense at this juncture for the HKRU to seek out more and more competition at a high level.

“We are also excited that REAL will provide tournament management services for the new competition, which furthers our standing in the international game, and provides another important portfolio in our increasingly diversified offering.

“We continue to believe that Global Rapid Rugby can be a very positive development for Hong Kong Rugby and the Game in Hong Kong and across the region,” added Mr McRobbie.

The team logo, playing kit, management team and squad for the inaugural season will be announced at a later date.

The Global Rapid Rugby season will kick-off in March 2019.

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