Hong Kong women keep World Cup dream alive, prove too powerful for Kazakhstan in Asia Rugby Championship finale
- Hong Kong qualify for WXV3 competition after clinching Asia Rugby Championship runners-up spot
- Head coach Royce Chan’s team score three unanswered tries, as Kazakhstan end competition pointless
Hong Kong women scored three unanswered tries to end their Asia Rugby Championship with victory over Kazakhstan on Saturday, one of the most significant wins in the Test team’s 26-year history.
A 22-0 triumph helped head coach Royce Chan Leong-sze’s side finish second behind Japan, earning them a spot at the global WXV3 tournament and keeping their hopes of reaching the 2025 Rugby World Cup in England alive.
Chan had arranged a surprise visit from families and friends to the team hotel for Friday night’s jersey presentation, and the motivational ploy led to some “happy tears”, according to wing Zoe Smith, whose kicking was instrumental in the win at Football Club.
Hong Kong dominated the scrum, and were superior in the line-out, but it took 22 minutes for their first score. The hosts created an attacking overload, releasing Chong Ka-yan to go over in the corner.
Smith’s conversion hit the post, and crept over, generating a sense that it was going to be Hong Kong’s day. Her penalty shortly after half-time opened up a 10-point gap.
“That allowed us to settle,” Smith said. “We were a bit panicky, but after that penalty we had it together, and were in a really positive place.
“This is what we have been working for, and to achieve it is phenomenal. We are so excited to have the opportunity to be exposed to different teams [at WXV3].
“We can’t not think about the World Cup. This is our pathway, and it is the long-term goal. There was pressure before the game, but we coped well, and tried to use it in a positive way. It is a historic moment for us to qualify for WXV for the first time.”
The WXV3 tournament will be staged in United Arab Emirates over 16 days from late-September. Hong Kong join Fiji, Madagascar, Netherlands and Samoa, and one more still-to-be-determined European nation, as qualifiers.
Chan, a member of the Hong Kong squad that beat Fiji in December 2016 to reach the following year’s World Cup, said: “We have opened another door for exposure to a global event, and more importantly kept ourselves alive for World Cup qualification.”
Hong Kong’s second try, after 51 minutes, was indicative of a team beginning to play with the shackles off.
The ball was worked from one side of the field to the other, following a successful line-out. Yekaterina Savina managed to stop Chong close to the line, after three teammates tried and failed to resist the speedy wing, but Natasha Olson-Thorne gathered to score.
Kazakhstan were visibly demoralised, and when Lau Nga-wun quickly drove over following sustained pressure, Hong Kong began enjoying their evening.
“The girls put a lot of pressure on themselves, and couldn’t quite perform in the first half,” Chan said. “The first try was a relief, then Zoe’s penalty gave us more confidence, and we built momentum. We earned the right to play how we can.
“There has been a big improvement in our set-piece over the past 12 months, we’ve had coaches coming in to help, and new girls in the programme creating more competition.”
Chan said Hong Kong “have a plan” for WXV preparation, but “need confirmation from World Rugby” over whether it will be possible to arrange warm-up matches.
Smith, who said she “tunes out” when standing over a place kick, because “there is nothing anyone else can do, I have to control it”, said experiencing success at home was especially satisfying.
“It is wonderful to do this in Hong Kong,” she said. “The jersey presentation was very special … there were lots of happy tears. It was a complete surprise, and a lovely moment. It is so special to play in front of them, and to accomplish this huge thing for our union.”
