Hong Kong Qualify For Rugby World Cup For First Time

Seoul: Hong Kong qualified for the Rugby World Cup for the first time in their history on Saturday as they romped past South Korea 70-22 in Incheon to become Asia champions.

The victory gave Hong Kong a sixth consecutive Asia Rugby Championship and with it a place in the expanded 24-team tournament to be hosted by Australia in 2027.

Hong Kong, globally famous for its annual Sevens tournament, will now rub shoulders in the 15-a-side showpiece with the likes of world champions South Africa and New Zealand's All Blacks.

"It's pretty overwhelming to be honest," said No.8 Josh Hrstich, the Hong Kong captain.

"Just super, super proud of our playing group, our management, coaching staff and people behind the scenes. There's a lot that goes into making a team successful.

"Thanks to everyone who has supported us and we're going to need them for the upcoming years because it's going to get pretty special."

With Asian powerhouses Japan one of 12 teams who had already qualified by virtue of finishing in the top three of their pool in the 2023 World Cup, a berth was up for grabs for the continental champions.

Hong Kong not only earned regional honours but also made history as only the second Asian team, after Japan, to qualify for a men's Rugby World Cup.

Hong Kong finished comfortably on top of the four-team table after wins against the UAE (43-10), Sri Lanka (78-7) and South Korea in the past month.

The United Arab Emirates finished second in the table and remain in contention for qualification.

They will face the runners-up of this month's Rugby Africa Cup in a play-off on July 26.

The winner of that encounter will progress to a final qualification tournament in Dubai in November.

MENAFN05072025000063011010ID1109763052