City must invest more for women’s rugby to improve, says HKFC Natixis Ice’s Roshini Turner ahead of Tradition Hong Kong 10s
- The 10-a-side curtain raiser to the Hong Kong Sevens returns with five new teams in the 12-strong men’s tournament
- In the eight-team women’s competition, three new sides join holders RKS Legal Samurai and four other returning outfits
Hong Kong rugby teams need to keep investing in the women’s side of the game or risk getting left behind as the sport continues to progress by leaps and bounds, one of the city’s stars has warned.
“A lot of clubs started investing in their women’s programme last season; clubs are recognising that there’s a lot of sponsorship available within the women’s sport,” HKFC Natixis Ice lock Roshini Turner said.
“Rugby is growing. If you don’t invest, you’re going to fall behind.”
Turner made the comments on the eve of the Tradition Hong Kong 10s, the curtain raiser to Hong Kong Sevens 2024, which starts on Friday.
This year, the 10-a-side rugby tournament will feature five new teams in the men’s competition (taking the total to 12), while the women’s tournament has grown from five in its debut year in 2023 to eight this time around.
Turner highlighted how Hong Kong Football Club – with whom she is also employed as a commercial liaison manager – has increased their women’s rugby budget annually for the past three years.
