At a reception last night hosted in the City Chambers the Lord Provost of Edinburgh officially welcomed the Hong Kong Women’s Rugby Team on their historic first tour to Scotland.

The team will have two hit-outs this week with the Scotland squad, before heading to Holland next week for two test matches.

The reception was sponsored by the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office, and was attended by 60 guests who listened to the Lord Provost and the Hong Kong Rugby Union CEO, Robbie McRobbie, pay tribute to the strong business, educational, cultural and sporting links that exist between Scotland and Hong Kong.

The climax to the evening was a Q&A with Gemma Fay, Head of Women’s Rugby for Scottish Rugby, and Dr Karen So, the Hong Kong captain - both talked passionately about their teams’ respective roads to the 2021 Women’s World Cup in New Zealand, and the challenges that lie ahead.

For the Hong Kong team, this European tour is a critical part of their preparation for the Asia Qualification Tournament for the World Cup next March,

where they will face Japan and Kazakhstan.