TOPIC

Asia Rugby Championship

Hong Kong taking high-risk approach to winning fifth successive ARC title

Victory over South Korea will secure Asia Rugby Championship and cement team’s spot as second-best side in region, and coach Andrew Douglas wants his side to play expansive game.

22 Jun 2024 - 9:00AM

Asia Rugby Championship: coach ‘frustrated’ despite Hong Kong men’s winning start

1 Jun 2024 - 9:13PM

Hong Kong aim to keep World Cup hopes alive, leave a legacy with ARC battle

1 Jun 2024 - 8:00AM

Hong Kong’s women target ‘much better level’ after ARC defeat to Japan

Hong Kong seeking ‘much better level’ for critical Kazakhstan clash in Asia Rugby Championship, with immediate future of city’s 15s team at stake.

22 May 2024 - 9:56PM

Japan’s Mele Kagawa reaches over to ground the ball for her side’s first try in their Asia Rugby Championship win over Hong Kong at King’s Park. Photo: Elson Li

Gutting sevens team justified with Rugby World Cup spot on line, Hong Kong GM says

Hong Kong women to vie with Japan and Kazakhstan in Asia Rugby Championship for a spot in Rugby World Cup, while runners-up will still be in contention.

22 May 2024 - 8:00AM

Taiwan eyes return of glory days and battles with Asia’s rugby elite

Taiwan were once consistently among the top four teams, but have languished in lower echelons since 2008. Unions Cup in Singapore represents chance to restore programme.

10 May 2024 - 1:46PM

Hong Kong rugby coach calls for November tests – ‘they deserve to play more’

Lewis Evans’ side savour Asia Rugby Championship win but hat-trick hero Alex Post admits ‘we’ve got to be more clinical’.

18 Jun 2023 - 6:00PM

Hong Kong team’s Gregor Mcneish(left) runs with the ball against South Korea. Photos: Edmond So

Evans focused on consistency as Hong Kong make just 2 changes for ARC decider

Head coach Lewis Evans makes just 2 changes to side that battered Malaysia, as defending champions put Asia Rugby Championship title online against South Korea.

16 Jun 2023 - 12:03PM

Hong Kong’s hammering of Malaysia still leaves plenty of questions to answer

Home side run in 13 tries in 88-9 demolition of limited opponents at Hong Kong Football Club, but difficult to tell how much side have improved.

12 Jun 2023 - 7:30AM

5-star Brien leads way as Hong Kong hammer Malaysia in Asia Rugby Championship

Home side run in 13 tries in 88-9 demolition of limited opponents at Hong Kong Football Club, with Sevens star Sebastian Brien scoring 5.

10 Jun 2023 - 10:21PM

Hong Kong’s Seb Brien scores in the corner during his side’s 88-9 victory over Malaysia in their Asia Rugby Championship clash at Hong Kong Football Club. Photo: HKRU

Hong Kong ring changes for start of Asia Rugby Championship title defence

Sevens stars Seb Brien and Callum McCullough named in starting 15, with Harry Sayers and Pierce MacKinlay-West among the replacements for game against Malaysia, as Tom Hill made captain.

9 Jun 2023 - 6:28PM

Tom Hill (left) will captain Hong Kong in their opening Asia Rugby Championship game against Malaysia. Photo: Jonathan Wong

Hong Kong have 2 priorities as they start men’s Asian Rugby Championship defence

Head coach Lewis Evans targets retaining ARC crown and building for next World Cup campaign.

7 Jun 2023 - 7:45AM

Hong Kong’s women get Asia Rugby Championship preparation off to winning start

Tries from Roshini Turner, Ng Ki-sum and Chloe Baltazar enough to give Hong Kong winning start to European tour with 22-17 victory over Sweden.

3 May 2023 - 10:57AM

Hong Kong’s women to test themselves in Europe ahead of Asia Rugby Championship

Royce Chan’s side will take on Sweden and Netherlands in Amsterdam next week ahead of their ARC campaign in May.

26 Apr 2023 - 3:10PM

Nadia Cuvelier has been named in the 32-strong squad for the games against Sweden and the Netherlands. Photo: Yik Yeung-man

Hong Kong sides prepare for Asia Rugby Championship with new Super XV clash

Hong Kong Dragons teams take on World XVs made up of best men and women players from domestic leagues.

15 Apr 2023 - 7:14PM

HK C Dragons scrum-half Harry Laidler tries to break a tackle during his side’s game against a World XV. Photo: Yik Yeung-man

McNeish penalty in dying seconds seals Asia Rugby title for Hong Kong

Gregor McNeish gives his team thrilling 23-21 win over South Korea in final of Asia Rugby Championship, setting up World Cup qualifier against Tonga.

10 Jul 2022 - 8:28PM

Hong Kong must be wary of South Korea, boss Evans warns

Head coach Lewis Evans ‘very much a realist’ and says Saturday’s Asia Rugby Championship opponents ‘are not going to make it easy’.

9 Jul 2022 - 9:00AM

Hong Kong turn to New Zealand-born captain to lead bid for 2023 World Cup spot

No 8 Josh Hrstich will ‘lead from the front’, coach says, as squad prepare to face South Korea in Asia Rugby Championship, with winner to play Tonga in World Cup qualifier.

28 Jun 2022 - 7:30AM

Josh Hrstich, pictured lifting last season’s Premiership trophy, will now lead Hong Kong. Photo: Jonathan Wong

Hong Kong add fresh blood for South Korea clash as Rugby World Cup beckons

Head coach Lewis Evans hands debuts to Football Club pair Josh Hrstich and John McCormick-Houston, Tigers’ David Tang, and UK-based Jack Combes in 29-man squad for Asia Rugby Championships final on July 9.

25 Jun 2022 - 9:45AM

Hong Kong’s road to Rugby World Cup goes through Israel Folau and Tonga

If Hong Kong successfully defend their Asia Rugby Championship next month, a World Cup qualifier then awaits against a Tongan side likely to include former Wallaby Israel Folau and ex-All Blacks Charles Piutau and Malakai Fekitoa.

1 Jun 2022 - 5:30PM

Hong Kong’s World Cup deadline as Asia tournament offers route to France 2023

Winner of Asia Rugby Championship will face Tonga for a place in France, but Hong Kong assesses whether it can field team, given lack of rugby since last year.

7 May 2022 - 3:58PM

Hong Kong faced South Korea in the decider of the last Asia Rugby Championship, in 2019, but three years later the landscape is much changed. Photo: Edmond So

Leitch wants Japan to join tier 1 comp but still help lift standard in Asia

Japan need to play stronger opposition more often to keep progressing, talisman Michael Leitch says as he targets Eddie Jones’ England at 2023 World Cup.

6 May 2022 - 3:19PM

Michael Leitch wants Japan to play at a higher level against the likes of Australia more regularly. Photo: Reuters

Japan ‘representing Asia’ amid rugby stagnation, says star Himeno

The 27-year-old Toyota Verblitz forward acknowledges development in Asia but cites the Japanese set-up for ‘bringing the standard up’, as coach Simon Cron outlines potential for future Asian player recruitment.

31 Mar 2022 - 8:30AMvideocam

Hong Kong Rugby Union cancels domestic season over Covid-19 fears

Men’s and women’s top-flight competitions ended early as coronavirus cases surge in the city, but officials hope some lower leagues will return after fifth wave ends.

17 Feb 2022 - 7:20PM

UK Sport performance adviser fills key role in Hong Kong rugby

Taking over from Leigh Jones, James Farndon brings a wealth of rugby and sporting experience as he prioritises men’s 15s Asia Rugby Championship title defence before working with ‘exciting’ women’s, sevens and youth team set-ups.

18 Jun 2021 - 11:57AM

The Hong Kong men’s rugby team celebrate another win in the Asia Rugby Championship after beating South Korea at the Hong Kong Football Club in Happy Valley in 2019. Photo: SCMP / Edmond So

Hong Kong appoint England legend Amor as men’s rugby coach

Former England captain and coach wants to ‘help players adapt’ and for Hong Kong to become the ‘best semi-professional set-up in the game’ as 2021 Asia Rugby Championship nears.

7 Jun 2021 - 10:52PM

Former England sevens captain Simon Amor at the Hong Kong Sevens in 2002. Photo: Handout

Hong Kong men’s rugby coach Hammond departs for Nottingham

Senior team and Hong Kong Scottish favourite Craig Hammond returns to the club he spent more than a decade with; is ‘fully confident’ that Hong Kong can defend their Asia Rugby Championship title.

4 Jun 2021 - 6:09PM

Former Hong Kong rugby head coach Hall to return to UK

Andrew Hall, who helped set up the Elite Rugby Programme and led the team to an Asia Rugby Championship, is confident his successors can keep the momentum ahead of Rugby World Cup qualifiers.

6 May 2021 - 11:36AM

Help preserve 120 years of quality journalism.

SUPPORT NOW

Asia Rugby Championship

Organised by Asia Rugby (formerly ARFU), the Asia Rugby Championship replaced the A5N as the top tier of international rugby in the region and featured the Top Three men’s national teams playing a full home-and-away round-robin tournament. The Asia Women’s Rugby Championship also featured the best three national sides, but playing each other only once.

last updated:

9 September, 2024