Hong Kong unchanged for Kazakhstan clash as head coach Chan looks to future and Rugby World Cup qualification
- Second game between two sides will take place at Hong Kong Football Club on Saturday, with home side chasing a clean sweep of series
- Royce Chan has challenged her side to find ‘another gear’ as they look to lay down a marker for next year
Hong Kong women’s coach Royce Chan Leong-sze has kept faith with the squad that beat Kazakhstan last weekend for the sides’ second meeting on Saturday.
While Chan said the starting line-up could change, depending on how players came through a final training session, she and assistants Sam Hocking and Sam Beard believed now was not the time to shake things up.
Instead, Chan challenged the group that won 31-17 at Siu Sai Wan to find another gear when the two teams clash at Hong Kong Football Club.
“It hasn’t been easy with selection,” Chan said. “We thought a lot about different formulas and players and even reviewing our aims for the campaign after game one, but we are looking for wins in our first games at home in years.
“Many of the girls who played the first match were making their debuts, others have not played fifteens in such a long time, including Natasha [co-captain Olson-Thorne], so we believe there is still more for them to show and that we can go up another gear still.”
Improving on last week’s performance is likely to be essential, given that conditions on Saturday could well favour the visitors, with a smaller ground and wet weather expected to benefit a more physical Kazakhstan side.
Chan is also expecting a reaction from the visiting side, and expects more of a challenge given that “they now know how we play”.
“They were physical in the areas we expected them to be and they are dangerous with the ball,” the head coach said. “They have a young team and the players they have will pose problems.
“Last week we were playing in summer, this week we are playing in what is basically our winter. This is their weather. Football Club is also smaller than Siu Sai Wan, which is a wide pitch. This wet weather could be another variation that will force us to adapt.”
Whatever the result, Chan said the two games had given her side a platform on which to build, and to show what they could achieve.
“It is the last game of 2022 and we want to send the message that we can play, that we can play the international game in our way, and that we can we find our own pathway to qualify for the next Rugby World Cup,” she said.
“This group of players has been amazing. They have put up with so much disappointment in not being able to play for years and missing out on Rugby World Cup qualification. Even now, we do not have enough games or time in this campaign. The matches are back to back so there is not a massive turnaround or chance to use more of the group.
“We have a big mission in playing at home. We are always focused on the big picture, and that is to send a message to our supporters and the game’s stakeholders that Hong Kong can play, and we deserve more opportunities” added Chan.
Hong Kong squad: Forwards: Lee Ka-shun (co-captain); Chow Mei-nam; Roshini Turner; Fion Got Yuei Tein; Iris Lam Tim-yeung; Chloe Baltazar; Micayla Baltazar; Maggie Au Yeung Sin-yi; Agnes Chan Tsz-ching; Ball Ng Ki-sum; Duc Lam Tsz-yan; Wong Yuen-shan; Rosetti Tsang Hoi-laam. Backs: Natasha Olson-Thorne (co-captain); Jess Ho Wai-on; Jess Eden; Aileen Ryan; Vivian Poon Hoi-yan; Zoe Smith; Georgia Rivers; Cherly So Yee-kei; Sabay Lynam; Qian Jiayu.
