Hong Kong rugby’s stars of future ready for 55th New Year’s Day youth tournament
- Under-19 and under-16 matches will pit Hong Kong-based talent against overseas-based counterparts in a return to the event’s traditional format
- Extra interest in the boys’ under-19 match after the city’s victory in the Asian championship gave them a place in World Rugby Under-20 Trophy
On the heels of Hong Kong’s victory at the Asia Rugby Men’s U19 Championship, age-grade action is to return to the city on Sunday with the 55th New Year’s Day youth tournament.
The event will revert to its long-standing format of Hong Kong-based against overseas-based players when it kicks off 2023 at its usual venue of Hong Kong Football Club, after Covid-19 border restrictions reduced the involvement of offshore talent in recent years.
There will be added interest in the boys’ under-19 match, which will serve as an additional talent identification opportunity after Hong Kong’s regional triumph this month qualified them for the World Rugby Under-20 Trophy in Kenya next July.
Given continued pandemic-related disruption to local rugby, the Hong Kong Rugby Union ran an open nomination process for players, coaches and parents to put forward potential New Year’s Day representatives in under-16 and under-19 age groups.
The union said the response at under-19 level for both sexes had been highly encouraging, accounting for most of the nominations. Some of those players have already been fielded during the Asian championship campaign in Malaysia, with the rest set to get their chance on Sunday.
