Hong Kong rugby scouring globe to increase player pool, planning to launch domestic sevens competition
- Hong Kong rugby bosses seeking out next generation of stars as drubbing in Australia highlights need for larger player pool
- Head of elite programme Paul John wants to see ‘as many sevens tournaments as possible’ played domestically
Rugby bosses in the city have begun a concerted effort to identify Hong Kong-qualified talent around the world, and are planning a domestic sevens competition to boost the sport locally.
The sport’s governing body, Hong Kong, China Rugby [HKCR], quietly released its new 10-year strategic plan last week, and among key targets it outlined was the creation of a “broader player base, resulting in increased flow of players for representative rugby”.
Also buried in a release that only appeared on the HKCR’s website was the plan to add a sevens tournament to the domestic calendar, although bosses are still trying to determine how that would fit into an already crowded schedule.
Still, Paul John, head of the elite sevens athlete programme, said he would like to see “as many sevens tournaments as possible, because the more people play, the better they become”.
“When our under-18 and under-20 boys and girls went to the last Asian Championships, it was the first tournament a lot of them had played,” John said. “Exposure to tournaments accelerates learning, and is far more valuable than just consistently training against each other.”
John had a support role when an under-18 Hong Kong team participated in last month’s Rosslyn Park National School Sevens in England, where he took the opportunity to seek out the next generation of stars.
The HKCR’s new 10-year strategic plan targets men’s Olympic qualification in 2028 and 2032 for women, while the men’s 15-a-side World Cup is being expanded to include 24 teams in 2027.
An expanded player base is essential to any hopes of success, something highlighted by the 65-0 drubbing a Hong Kong XV took at the hands of the ACT Brumbies A team in Canberra on Saturday.
“We had an HKCR tent [at Rosslyn Park], and tried to connect with people who have some connection with Hong Kong,” John said. “There were 360 schools there, and you would be surprised how many children playing were either born in Hong Kong, or had parents or grandparents born here.
“That is only one part of the world. There are kids with Hong Kong connections in America, New Zealand, and Australia. We want to find them, and get them to realise Hong Kong is a viable option for them, because of the competitions we play in.
“If you are a young kid, or an older player with three or four years left, I imagine you want to play in the Hong Kong Sevens, and in a World Cup. If you come to Hong Kong, those opportunities could open up for you.”
John said he hoped plans for the new local sevens competition would be “finalised soon”. He mooted various formats, including players representing their current clubs, in what would become a “competitive trial”, and a completely fresh event, played over either one weekend, or multiple legs.
“We are talking about different options, and where to fit it in,” John added. “The fact we are doing it is great … everybody is keen for it to happen.”
The Hong Kong men’s and women’s teams, meanwhile, are preparing for their closing Challenger Series legs, on May 18 and 19, in Munich and Krakow, respectively.
Head coach Jevon Groves’ men go to Germany needing to climb above the hosts into fourth in the series standings, to seal a place at the season-ending play-offs in Madrid 12 days later.
The key duo of Max Denmark and Seb Brien have recovered from injuries, leaving Groves with a fully-fit squad.
If Hong Kong qualify for Madrid, where promotion into the elite World Series is up for grabs, they will stay in Germany to prepare.
They will then return home to get ready for June’s Olympic repechage, where 12 teams will compete for the final Paris spot.
“There are some very strong teams in the competition, South Africa, Great Britain, and Canada [all world series nations] stand out, so it is going to be tough,” John said.
“We need to get some momentum, then ride that momentum. You have to believe anything can happen, because of the prize at the end.”
