Hong Kong rugby officials believe the city can achieve success across multiple international competitions over the next 18 months, despite operating with a relatively small playing pool and some ambitious performance goals. While most attention will naturally focus on preparations for the Rugby World Cup 2027.
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Hong Kong’s men’s programmers are also targeting back-to-back success at the Asian Games in Japan this September and qualification for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympic Games in rugby sevens. According to Hong Kong China Rugby’s executive director of performance and representative rugby, Simon Amor, the organization has spent the past six months carefully planning how to balance its sevens and 15s programmers.
That includes deciding which players move between formats, prioritizing competitions, and ensuring the coaching staff remains aligned. Have we qualified for the World Cup? Yes. Can we qualify for the Olympics? Yes. Can we perform strongly in both? Absolutely, Amor said. “For us, success isn’t just about medals or podium finishes. It’s about building competitive teams and sustainable pathways.
Rugby World Cup: Asian Games and Funding Are Immediate Priorities
While long-term goals include the Rugby World Cup and Olympic qualification, Hong Kong rugby has clear short-term non-negotiables. Chief among them is winning a medal at the 2026 Asian Games, which is vital not only for sporting prestige but also for securing continued government funding. Another key focus is performing strongly in this year’s Nations Cup matches, which form part of the team’s World Cup preparation.
Once those priorities are clear, it becomes easier to decide what matters most and what can be used for development, Amor explained. That shapes conversations between the sevens and 15s coaches and helps determine how players move through the system. Some regional competitions have been downgraded in importance.
Including the Melrose Claymores tournament at the Cathay/HSBC Hong Kong Sevens, the Asia Rugby Emirates Championship, and the Asia Rugby Emirates Sevens Series. These competitions have become increasingly uncompetitive in recent years as several traditional rivals have stepped back. Rather than seeing this as a setback, Amor believes these events offer valuable opportunities for fringe players to gain international experience.
In sevens, especially, we just don’t get enough competition at the right level to properly develop players, he said. “Melrose is only two or three games against teams like China and Japan, and the Asia Sevens Series has lost some depth, with the UAE and Korea dropping down. While Japan continues to perform strongly in Asia.
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Rugby World Cup Final: Player Welfare Remains Central
Another major challenge is managing player workload. The Rugby World Cup Final has issued strong guidelines recommending no more than 30 matches per season, a minimum five-week break, and clear limits around full-contact training and pre-season loads. Although these guidelines are not mandatory, Hong Kong rugby has committed to following them as closely as possible.
However, with two Nations Cup windows in July and November and the Asian Games in between, finding a five-week rest period has proven difficult. We’re working with Rugby World Cup on what’s realistic for our environment, Amor said. The calendar is intense, but player welfare has to come first if we want long-term success.
Not all players will attempt to juggle both formats. Several, including Harry Sayers, Seb Brien, Matteo Avitabile, Calum McCullough, and Jack Coombes, have already committed full-time to the 15s programmer as part of Hong Kong’s Rugby World Cup preparations.
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Rugby World Cup: Building a Global Rugby Destination
For Hong Kong rugby, this dual-focus strategy is about more than results. It is part of a broader effort to position the city as a destination where international players can grow, compete, and achieve on the world stage. To attract talent and retain our best athletes, we need to open doors, Amor said. If someone wants to experience both the Olympics and the Rugby World Cup.
We want Hong Kong to be the place that makes that possible. This approach also strengthens the national programmer by creating greater competition for places, deeper talent pools, and more adaptable athletes’ qualities essential in modern international rugby. The next 18 months represent a defining period for the Hong Kong Rugby World Cup.
With Asian Games medals, World Cup competitiveness, and Olympic qualification all in play, the organization is attempting something few nations manage successfully: balancing elite performance in both sevens and 15s. While challenges remain particularly around scheduling, player welfare, and limited regional competition, officials are confident the strategy will deliver both short-term success and long-term growth.
As Amor puts it, the job is to allow players to live their dreams, and for Hong Kong rugby, that means competing on the biggest stages in the world. If successful, Hong Kong could emerge not only as a powerhouse in Asian rugby but as a genuine global contender across multiple formats, setting a model for smaller nations with big ambitions.
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