The Hong Kong Touch Association (HKTA) has today announced new leadership and a refreshed strategic direction in order to capitalise on the growing popularity of the game.

A newly formed Executive Committee spearheads the guidance, consisting of Diana Li (Chairperson), Alex Tsang, Laurent Villemeur, Fung Kai Hung, Wai Ting Ho and Andrew Li, all of whom are actively involved in the rugby community in Hong Kong and bring a wealth of operational and player engagement expertise to the association. Alex and Laurent, both committed volunteers within the touch rugby community, will also oversee two sub-committees specifically formed to focus on refereeing and club communication. 

Currently, participation in touch rugby is thriving with 43 teams of all ages and abilities registered in Hong Kong and approximately 80% of players identifying themselves as being of local Hong Kong descent. Touch rugby’s popularity is driven by the social nature of the sport – it’s a great way to keep fit, build relationships, and be engaged with rugby in a non-contact setting. It’s also a fantastic foundation on which to build the skills and confidence to transition players into the contact version of the game.

The vision of both the new Executive Committee and the updated strategic plan is to align with the Hong Kong Rugby Union’s (HKRU) core message of ‘A Game For All’, whilst promoting the values of respect, inclusivity, integrity and excellence within the community. The updated strategic plan has been carefully developed over the last few months in collaboration with the HKRU and is divided into five key areas of focus:

• Domestic: deliver a fun, professional and engaging level of competition for all ages
• Performance: establish pathways with clear KPIs for performance at the highest level
• Coaching: develop high-quality coaches through accessible training and support
• Refereeing: identify talent and systems of support, create a digital reporting platform 
• Commercial: maximise sponsorship opportunities and create a sustainable financial model

Diana Li, HKTA Chairperson and Director General on the Hong Kong Rugby Union Board, notes that “Each of these areas has been targeted to develop professionalism, participation, and long-term player pathways, with the underlying objective being to grow awareness and support for the game in Hong Kong. We know that touch has huge potential, particularly from a commercial standpoint and look forward to exploring these opportunities. We are also looking forward to return of the Touch World Cup and the Asian Championships – we have a vision to be heavily involved in both.” 

The HKTA would also like to take this opportunity to thank Marco Wong for his commitment over the last 16 years serving as Chairman of the association. Marco has set some admirable foundations which will no doubt allow the new committee to take touch to the next level and beyond.

For more information on touch rugby in Hong Kong, please contact: [email protected]