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Josh Ball

Hong Kong’s men have ended their Nations Cup in South America on a high, producing a thrilling fightback to beat Uruguay 42-40 in Montevideo on Saturday.
Trailing 26-13 at half-time, Logan Asplin’s side appeared destined to lose for the third week in a row, having been beaten heavily by Samoa and Chile, only to stun their opponents, who are ranked seven places higher and have appeared at the past five Rugby World Cups.
Paul Altier kicked a long-range penalty at the death to seal a famous victory, in a game that featured six lead changes and swung back and forth from the start.
“We’re delighted,” Josh Hrstich, the Hong Kong captain, said. “It’s been a tough four weeks for us, searching for that performance that we can really hang our hat on and show the rugby world what we can do.
“There have been a lot of questions about who we are and whether we deserve to be here. I think today we showed the world we are a team to be reckoned with when we want to turn up.”


The home side were well in control early on, largely thanks to hooker Joaquin Myszka, who scored a hat-trick inside 25 minutes, crossing twice from close range and once from a powerful maul. Manuel Diana, the No 8, added another as Los Teros built a commanding advantage by the break.
Hong Kong stayed in touch through an Alex Post try, which Altier converted. The wing also slotted two penalties, but a Lachlan Doheny yellow card slowed any momentum that may have been built.
A Juan Manuel Alonso score soon after the restart stretched Uruguay’s lead to 33-18, but some individual brilliance from Matt Worley chalked that off, and Marcus Ramage then crossed to narrow the gap further.
Hong Kong were awarded a penalty try soon after when Myszka stopped a certain score, earning him some time in the sin bin. It handed the visitors a 34-33 lead with 15 minutes remaining.
Scrum-half Brendon Nell gave Hong Kong some breathing room, although Altier’s missed conversion and Max Threlkeld’s yellow card created an opening that Uruguay duly took, with Francisco Gonzalez Capdevila’s try and Jean Cotarmanac’h’s conversion edging them back in front at 40-39.
Ultimately, the home side’s ill-discipline proved costly, and a yellow card for replacement Alfonso Vidal gave Altier the opportunity to secure one of the biggest wins in Hong Kong’s history.
“I had a really good feeling about today,” Asplin, the Hong Kong head coach, said. “We had a good edge coming in. Would I have liked to have that last 15 minutes of the first half? Probably not, but it is one thing to go out into a lead and it is another thing to be able to chase it and to show that we can play from behind as well as play from in front.
“To take the 17th-ranked team in the world down on their home pitch is something we talked about coming in. I am just incredibly proud of our resilience, physicality, and how the boys put Uruguay under pressure, against a team that have been to multiple World Cups playing their third game at home.”


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Hong Kong celebrate beating 17th-ranked Uruguay in Montevideo to finish their Nations Cup matches on a high. Photo: HKCR

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Sport

Rugby

Hong Kong

International Rugby

City side defeat higher-ranked South Americans having been 26-13 down at half-time and after earlier losses to Samoa and Chile


City side defeat higher-ranked South Americans having been 26-13 down at half-time and after earlier losses to Samoa and Chile.


Rugby World Cup 2027

World Rugby

Hong Kong end Nations Cup rugby campaign with thrilling come-from-behind win over Uruguay

.css-1c6uqr6{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;overflow-wrap:break-word;}City side defeat higher-ranked South Americans having been 26-13 down at half-time and after earlier losses to Samoa and Chile

City side defeat higher-ranked South Americans having been 26-13 down at half-time and after earlier losses to Samoa and Chile