Advertisement

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

Reading Time:2 minutes
Why you can trust SCMP
Hong Kong co-captain Lee Ka-shun bursts through a tackle during the first Test against Kazakhstan. Photo: Ike Images

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.

Advertisement

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.”

Hong Kong’s Natasha Olsen-Thorne is tackled during the first Test against Kazakhstan at Siu Sai Wan Sports Ground. Photo: Jonathan Wong
Hong Kong’s Natasha Olsen-Thorne is tackled during the first Test against Kazakhstan at Siu Sai Wan Sports Ground. Photo: Jonathan Wong
Advertisement