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Andrew McNicol

Hong Kong international Alexander Post will tick off a lifelong dream when he lines up for Oxford in the Varsity Match against Cambridge at Twickenham on Saturday.
The 26-year-old Hong Kong-born hooker left for the University of Oxford after the Hong Kong Rugby Union’s full-time Elite Rugby Programme (ERP) closed last summer.
“I had three aspirations when I was growing up,” Post said. “One was to be a full-time athlete; the second was to play in a World Cup – that’s not gone yet, so fingers crossed; and the third was to play in Varsity.
“Luckily, I can tick one of those boxes off at the moment. It’s really humbling. I watched it for years with my old man. It’s a dream come true.”

Since arriving in the UK last year, Post has trained with Ampthill, who play in the second-tier Championship, the England Under-20s and Gallagher Premiership club Gloucester.
The training before arriving at Oxford in October allowed him to “hit the ground running” and he has been in scintillating form, going into the Varsity tie as his team’s top-scorer for the season.
“But that’s purely from the back of mauls. I can’t take any credit for that,” Post said. “I haven’t really been keeping count, but last week I got told I was in double figures. For a hooker, that’s an unbelievable amount.”

But none of will matter when Post dons the famous Oxford Blue at the home of English rugby. It is a game he said the team’s “whole year is geared towards”.
“I was born and raised in Hong Kong but my parents are British and I’ve always followed English rugby closely,” Post said, adding he would have plenty of family watching from the stands.
“The chance to play at Twickenham is very special – I’m very privileged. You kind of get the shivers just thinking about it.
“More people have played for [the England national team] than have played for the Oxford Blues. That’s a scary statistic. You can really see what it means to the alumni when they tell you about it.”


Post is studying a one-year intensive MBA programme at the institute’s prestigious Said Business School.
“I’ll start off by saying I’m not smart – I just work hard,” he said. “I really suffered from impostor syndrome when I first got here, meeting some incredibly smart people. I’m just grateful to get to learn off my peers.
“It was tough getting here, and it was particularly tough because there was a lot of uncertainty with Covid-19 around Hong Kong when I was in my process of applying.
“Getting in was the easy part – the hard part is just staying afloat while you’re here!”
Post made clear that his decision to study and play abroad would have no impact should the Hong Kong team call. The former Hong Kong Under-20s captain earned his first full senior cap against Kenya in 2016, and last played for the seniors against Spain in 2019.


“If Hong Kong calls, I’ll come running,” the former HKU Sandy Bay and South China Tigers player said.
“It’s not been ideal with Covid-19, but I know there are some [2023 World Cup] qualifiers later this year. I spoke to my course – they know if there are international games, I’d want to be available, and they were very considerate.
“I was part of that tournament in 2018 where we didn’t make it [to the World Cup]. Hopefully this year we can right a few wrongs.”

Post follows in the Varsity Match footsteps of former Hong Kong representatives Jamie Hood, who scored the winner for Cambridge in 2009, and Laurel Chor Lik-fung, who played for Oxford last year.
The event dates back to 1872 and celebrates its 150th game this year. Oxford men’s and Cambridge women’s won their respective matches in 2021. Cambridge men’s hold the overall lead with 64 wins to Oxford’s 61, while Oxford women’s lead 20-13 against their counterparts in previous meetings.
“It should be a very interesting game. We’re definitely the underdogs even though we won last year,” Post said. “They have got some very big names – the likes of decorated England international Toby Flood and England U-20s player Jamie Benson who starts at full-back. We’re much more of a squad.”
The men’s match starts at 10.30pm Hong Kong time, with the women’s kicking-off three hours earlier. Both will be live-streamed by the Rugby Football Union and universities on Facebook.


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Hong Kong China Rugby

Oxford v Cambridge: winning Blue in Varsity Match a ‘dream come true’ for Hong Kong’s Alex Post

Hong Kong men’s rugby union representative team player Alexander Post (centre) in a game against Cook Islands at Happy Valley in 2019. Photo: HKRU   

Alexander Post in a Hong Kong men’s Rugby Premiership league game for HKU Sandy Bay in 2019. Photo: HKRU 

Hong Kong senior team player Alexander Post (centre) of the South China Tigers in training for the Global Rapid Rugby event at the Kings Park Sports Ground in Kowloon in 2019. Photo: Ike Images

Alexander Post (left) and Lewis Warner of the South China Tigers in a Global Rapid Rugby game against the Western Force at HBF Stadium in Australia in 2019. Photo: Getty Images

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Hong Kong’s men celebrate winning the Asia Rugby Sevens Series 2021 trophy. Photo: Asia Rugby

Hong Kong’s men and women will be heading the UK for two months. Photo: HKRU

Hong Kong’s Rosie Wright competes for the ball during her side’s game against Japan at the Asia Rugby Sevens Series in Dubai. Photo: HKRU

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Kazuki Himeno (centre) of Japan in a league game event for the Toyota Verblitz against the Shining Arcs Tokyo-Bay Urayasu. Photo: Japan Rugby League One   

Kazuki Himeno of Japan wins a line-out in a Rugby World Cup pool game against Ireland in Fukuroi, Japan in 2019. Photo: Kyodo 

Kazuki Himeno (centre) of Japan after a league game for the Toyota Verblitz. Photo: Japan Rugby League One 

All Blacks Patrick Tuipulotu and Springboks Pieter-Steph du Toit talk Six Nations and how a move to Japan improved their game

Pieter-Steph du Toit (right) and Damian de Allende (left) tackle Ataata Moeakiola during a friendly between Japan and South Africa. Photo: AFP

Wales flanker Aaron Wainwright (right) tackles Pieter-Steph Du Toit during the Japan 2019 Rugby World Cup semi-final match in Yokohama. Photo: AFP

New Zealand’s Patrick Tuipulotu is tackled by a Canadian defender during the Rugby World Cup Pool B in Japan. Photo: AP

Yokohama Canon Eagles celebrate after coming from behind to beat Toyota Verblitz. Photo: Kyodo

Hong Kong Sevens: rugby chiefs ‘thrilled’ to put on event in November, as government plans to host 100 business leaders

Salom Yiu Kam-shing of Hong Kong takes a selfie with fans after the men’s qualifier final against Ireland on the last day of the 2019 Hong Kong Sevens at Hong Kong Stadium. Photo: Sam Tsang

Fiji celebrate winning the Cup final against France at the 2019 Hong Kong Sevens. Photo: Winson Wong

Fans cheer in the South Stand at Hong Kong Stadium during the 2019 Hong Kong Sevens. Photo: AP/Kin Cheung

Vilimoni Botitu of Fiji fends off Gabin Villiere of France in the Cup final at the 2019 Hong Kong Sevens. Photo: KY Cheng

Coronavirus: Hong Kong Rugby Union cancels Dettol Premiership seasons, looks forward to international commitments

Gai Wu Falcons No 8 Chow Mei-nam muscles her way past Hong Kong Football Club’s Rachel Fong to score a try during her side’s 24-13 win in December. Photo: HKRU

Football Club’s Charles Kingham is tackled by Kowloon’s Rhys Jones during his side’s 49-13 win at Happy Valley in December. The victory secured the premiership title for Football Club. Photo: Jonathan Wong

Sport

Hong Kong

Rugby


The 26-year-old hooker gets ‘the shivers just thinking about’ upcoming duel at Twickenham
‘If Hong Kong calls, I’ll be running’, says Post of potential call-up for 2023 Rugby World Cup qualifiers



The 26-year-old hooker gets ‘the shivers just thinking about’ upcoming Varsity Match at Twickenham, assuring Hong Kong team he is available for its 2023 Rugby World Cup qualifiers.


World Rugby

Rugby World Cup 2019

Oxford v Cambridge: winning Blue in Varsity Match a ‘dream come true’ for Hong Kong’s Alex Post

The 26-year-old hooker gets ‘the shivers just thinking about’ upcoming duel at Twickenham ‘If Hong Kong calls, I’ll be running’, says Post of potential call-up for 2023 Rugby World Cup qualifiers

The 26-year-old hooker gets ‘the shivers just thinking about’ upcoming duel at Twickenham

‘If Hong Kong calls, I’ll be running’, says Post of potential call-up for 2023 Rugby World Cup qualifiers