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South China Morning Post
05-07-2025
- Sport
- South China Morning Post
Hrstich ‘super, super proud' as Hong Kong men make Rugby World Cup history
Hong Kong's men made history in Incheon on Saturday, qualifying for the Rugby World Cup for the first time. A 70-22 victory over South Korea sealed a sixth consecutive Asia Rugby Emirates Men's Championship title and booked a spot at the global tournament in Australia in 2027. Three years ago, Hong Kong escaped with a narrow 23-21 victory, thanks to Gregor McNeish's final kick of the game. This time, they had run in three tries midway through the first half and were 39 points clear at the break. Not for the first time, a dominant forward performance was the bedrock for the victory, and it was no coincidence that the pack scored six of the tries. Alex Post and Josh Hrstich each bagged a brace, while James Sawyer and Luke van der Smit each added one of their own. The backs, meanwhile, had Matt Worley, Paul Altier, Harry Sayers and Max Denmark crossing the line. Paul Altier works his way through the South Korea defence. Photo: HKCR 'It's pretty overwhelming to be honest,' Hrstich, the Hong Kong captain, said. 'Just super, super proud of our playing group, our management, coaching staff and people behind the scenes. There's a lot that goes into making a team successful.
South China Morning Post
05-07-2025
- Sport
- South China Morning Post
Hrstich ‘super, super proud' as Hong Kong men make Rugby World Cup history
Hong Kong's men made history in Incheon on Saturday, qualifying for the Rugby World Cup for the first time. A 70-22 victory over South Korea sealed a sixth consecutive Asia Rugby Emirates Men's Championship title and booked a spot at the global tournament in Australia in 2027. Three years ago, Hong Kong escaped with a narrow 23-21 victory, thanks to Gregor McNeish's final kick of the game. This time, they had run in three tries midway through the first half and were 39 points clear at the break. Not for the first time, a dominant forward performance was the bedrock for the victory, and it was no coincidence that the pack scored six of the tries. Alex Post and Josh Hrstich each bagged a brace, while James Sawyer and Luke van der Smit each added one of their own. The backs, meanwhile, had Matt Worley, Paul Altier, Harry Sayers and Max Denmark crossing the line. Paul Altier works his way through the South Korea defence. Photo: HKCR 'It's pretty overwhelming to be honest,' Hrstich, the Hong Kong captain, said. 'Just super, super proud of our playing group, our management, coaching staff and people behind the scenes. There's a lot that goes into making a team successful.
South China Morning Post
05-07-2025
- Sport
- South China Morning Post
Hong Kong men make history, qualify for Rugby World Cup for first time
Hong Kong's men made history in Incheon on Saturday, qualifying for the Rugby World Cup for the first time. Advertisement A 70-22 victory over South Korea sealed a sixth consecutive Asia Rugby Emirates Men's Championship title and booked a spot at the global tournament in Australia in 2027. Three years ago, Hong Kong escaped with a narrow 23-21 victory, thanks to Gregor McNeish's final kick of the game. This time, they had run in three tries midway through the first half and were 39 points clear at the break. Not for the first time, a dominant forward performance was the bedrock for the victory, and it was no coincidence that the pack scored six of the tries. Alex Post, Josh Hrstich both bagged a brace, while James Sawyer and Luke van der Smit each added one of their own. The backs, meanwhile, had Matt Worley, Paul Altier, Harry Sayers and Max Denmark cross. South Korea did themselves no favours, and even against 14 men, after Axten-Burrett was sent off for a nasty clash of heads with wing Chang Yong-heung in the first half, a dysfunctional line-out and poor handling meant that Chang's two late scores were the smallest of consolations. Paul Altier works his way through the South Korea defence. Photo: HKCR It took Hong Kong little more than two minutes to get on the board, a line-out on the halfway line was recycled through several phases, and eventually a missed pass across the backline from de Thierry sent Worley flying through a split Korea defence.
South China Morning Post
26-05-2025
- Sport
- South China Morning Post
Bigger, faster, stronger: Hong Kong prepare for shot at reaching Rugby World Cup
In any normal year, Hong Kong's men could be forgiven a certain level of arrogance going into next month's Asia Rugby Championship. Unbeaten since Japan left a competition they had outgrown by the end of 2017, Hong Kong won last year's tournament at a canter, scoring 189 points and conceding just 18 while sweeping aside the United Arab Emirates, South Korea and Malaysia. The closest they came to losing in the intervening years was away to the Koreans in 2022, when only a last-minute Gregor McNeish penalty in a nail-biting 23-21 triumph preserved the 100 per cent record. But this is not a normal year. For the first time, the winners will get direct entry into the World Cup – a prize that hangs like a shadow over all those involved. 'It's a position not many get to be in,' Andrew Douglas, the Hong Kong head coach, said. 'I know it sounds cliche, but we'll deal with it one game at a time, because we have to. We can't think of only one part of that. UAE and Korea have both lifted their games as well in terms of full-time programmes. Shanna Forrest fends off a Japan player during Hong Kong's defeat on Sunday. Photo: Hong Kong China Rugby 'So you can't just think that it's going to be the same as last year, but we're certainly not walking away from the fact that there's a lot of pressure on it.'
