The KPMG Women’s Premiership will kick off on Saturday, 6 October, with all eight Premiership sides in action at King’s Park starting from 13.30. 

Kerry Hotels Kowloon and Transact24 Tai Po Dragons will open the season, followed by SCAA First Pacific Causeway Bay versus Plastic Free Seas City Sparkle (15.00).  Defending League and Grand Champions Gai Wu Falcons will play Natixis Hong Kong Football Club Ice at 16.30 followed by the match of the week between Societe Generale Valley Ladies and Borrelli Walsh USRC Tigers at 18.00.

Hong Kong national coach and Head of women’s rugby performance Jo Hull is enthusiastic at the season ahead - and some new structures that are adding to the competitiveness of the competition, most especially a split of the eight-team Premiership, after an initial ranking round of matches, into two four-team competitions, KPMG Premiership and KPMG Premiership A.

“There’s a lot to be excited about this season,” said Hull.

“Towards the end last year, the games started to get very, very competitive. Now we’re creating competitiveness at the start with the split into a Premiership and Premiership A.”

In a twist from last season, when the Premiership split into separate competitions but all eight sides reunited for the Grand Championships, this season will feature two distinct grand finals, one for Premiership and one for Premiership A.

“Players and teams are now realizing that these first few weeks really count, with a lot of competition for places, not only for first and second, but also now for that fourth placed spot, which was really well contested by HKFC and Tai Po last year,” Hull said.

Hull is also excited about the performance of a number of Hong Kong emerging players in the Premiership.

“A lot of young players are featuring quite heavily in the Premiership, playing key positions, including the players we brought into the Hong Kong training squad over the last six months, all of whom are now playing Premiership level.”

For Hull it all points to an exciting season - and future – ahead, highlighted by an admittedly ambitious Hong Kong tour of Spain and Wales this November. 

“Hong Kong women’s rugby is putting a marker in the ground for where we want to go. We know Spain and Wales are still a few tiers above us in the rugby world, but if we want to put our sights on that 2021 World Cup, we need to play at these levels. We need to be in that conversion,” Hull averred.

Hull noted that after retirements post-Rugby World Cup, there could potentially be seven-plus new caps in the squad for Europe and that performance in the Premiership will be important for all of the national training squad.

“We have very little training time together, so it will be about what they are doing in club rugby. That is really important to us. There are four to five U20s players in the training squad at the moment and I’m looking forward to seeing them in the Premiership. 

“From a Hong Kong perspective, it is about the intensity of the games and about national team players stepping up and leading that intensity, and the clubs playing to the kind of standards we are after - fast rugby, where we’re fitter than the opposition and work well off of the breakdown ball.

“The set piece is a key for us at international level and I think the scrum should play a massive part in the women’s game this year, which would really help us out in Europe,” Hull added.

Hull noted that another emerging trend in the women’s scene is having a positive impact on performance levels with more current and former women’s internationals coming in to play in the KPMG Premiership.

“There will be a few teams bolstered with some overseas players, including overseas internationals, which definitely increases the performance level across the league.

“It’s a testament to Hong Kong rugby that people are looking at us as a viable option to play and develop here. They are getting the required experience as we have a really good level of talent in both the men’s and women’s leagues. It is a net positive, as long as it is managed correctly.”

The presence of more of the world’s leading female rugby athletes will help ensure the week-in, week-out intensity that Hull is after.

“We’re going to see a lot more competitiveness this year. There are more teams wanting promotion to the Premiership, which shows that our National League 1 is particularly strong.

“Most importantly, the clubs have really bought into the performance mindset in the Premiership and we are working with them closely to keep driving those competitive performance levels higher.

With everything to play for in the KPMG Premiership, now is the time for the players to impress. Tigers versus Valley, the second and third run finishers in last season’s league and grand championships campaigns, will cap the opening day’s action in the game of the week on Saturday night at Kings Park and Hull is ready for the action to begin.

“Without a doubt that will be the game of the week,” said Hull.

“Valley have seen a few changes after the World Cup with retirements, while Tigers have bolstered their team this season. That is going to be a big game to kick things off with, as is Kowloon versus Tai Po, which could help define the competition for fourth spot and the chance to stay in the Premiership.”

Pink Rugby

The HKRU is also pleased to announce that it is an official Pink Partner of the Hong Kong Breast Cancer Foundation (HKBCF).  Throughout October, international breast cancer month, the HKRU will work closely with HKBCF and KPMG to raise awareness of breast cancer and raise funds to support the Foundation’s mission.

KPMG are generously supporting the campaign with a donation of HK$100 for every try scored in the Women’s Premiership Game of the Week matches across the four weekends in October.  The campaign will culminate on Saturday, 27 October, when the HKRU will host a Women’s Rugby Day at King’s Park. 

HKBCF will be in attendance promoting breast health awareness and offering souvenir giveaways, while women’s matches will be played throughout the day.  Players and spectators will be encouraged to purchase pink rugby socks on the day with all proceeds donated to HKBCF.