Hong Kong to take on Japan A in first for men’s rugby at Kai Tak Stadium

Hong Kong will take on Japan A at Kai Tak Stadium in October, as the city’s men begin their two-year journey to the 2027 Rugby World Cup in Australia.

Already home to the city’s famous Sevens tournament, the XVs team will make their debut at the 50,000-seat venue, as will members of the men’s and women’s development squads in a pre-match exhibition.

The game on October 24 will be the last of three games Hong Kong play against Japanese opposition that month. A training camp in Japan beforehand will include matches against Skyactivs Hiroshima and LeRIRO Fukuoka.

November is then expected to see the arrival of Zimbabwe in the city for back-to-back encounters between the champions of Asia and Africa. Both teams should also be involved in the second division of the new Nations Championship in 2026.

Andrew Douglas, who led Hong Kong’s historic World Cup qualifying campaign, will take charge of the men’s team, despite having handed over head coaching duties to Logan Asplin, who is in the process of leaving his role at Football Club.

“After qualifying for the Rugby World Cup, the players were given five weeks off, which was obviously a much-needed recovery after what was a long, intense and successful campaign,” Douglas, the head of technical rugby, said.