Hong Kong set World Cup deadline as Asia tournament offers route to France 2023

Winner of rearranged Asia Rugby Championship between Hong Kong, South Korea and Malaysia will face Tonga in July for place in global tournament

But Hong Kong assessing whether it can field a team, with most players having had no competitive rugby since before Christmas because of Covid-19 restrictions

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Hong Kong faced South Korea in the decider of the last Asia Rugby Championship, in 2019, but three years later the landscape is much changed. Photo: Edmond So

Published: 8:30am, 7 May 2022Updated: 3:58pm, 7 May 2022

The Hong Kong Rugby Union has until the end of the month to decide whether its men’s 15s side is in a position to try to qualify for next year’s World Cup in France.

Asia Rugby has rearranged the region’s championship to allow Malaysia, South Korea and Hong Kong to compete for a chance to take on Tonga in July for a spot at the 2023 tournament.

Hong Kong had initially withdrawn from this year’s event because of Covid-19 travel restrictions, and social-distancing rules that had prevented any meaningful rugby taking place in the city since before Christmas.

“For us, it was and will always be paramount to protect the integrity of our 15s tournaments – the Asia Rugby Championship that acts as the pinnacle of the regional association calendar – especially in a year that offers a pathway to the Rugby World Cup 2023,” Qais Al Dhalai, the Asia Rugby president, said.

Hong Kong celebrate winning the 2019 Asia Rugby Championship with victory at home to South Korea. Photo: Edmond So

The championship will now kick off on June 4, with South Korea hosting Malaysia in Incheon. The winner of that hosts Hong Kong in the final, which will be on July 8 in Korea, or July 9 in Kuala Lumpur if Malaysia win.