Hong Kong urged to ‘seize opportunity’ after learning route to women’s 2025 Rugby World Cup
- Hong Kong will make their WXV3 debut in Dubai later this year, with Fiji, Madagascar and the Netherlands among their opponents
Hong Kong’s route to the 2025 Women’s Rugby World Cup has been mapped out following the draw for this year’s WXV3 tournament in Dubai.
Head coach Royce Chan’s team qualified for the competition after claiming second place in the 2024 Asia Rugby Championship (ARC) with victory over Kazakhstan last month.
The importance of that result was underlined by Jo Hull, the local governing body’s general manager of rugby performance, who said Hong Kong had to reach WXV3 to keep pace with the fast accelerating women’s international game.
Had they lost to Kazakhstan, Hong Kong would have been removed from the World Cup qualifying pathway, and consigned to the international wilderness for the next two years.
As it is, they go to Dubai as one of five teams chasing two spots at next year’s global showpiece in England.
Hong Kong will face Fiji, Madagascar and Netherlands in the six-team tournament. World No 14 team Fiji, who clash with Hong Kong on September 28, have already booked their spot in England. Hong Kong, ranked No 17, are aiming to reach their second World Cup, after going to the 2017 competition in Ireland.
