Central contracts key to Hong Kong China's World Cup challenge

Hong Kong China are planning to centrally contract up to 35 players on full-time deals over the next two years in a bid to be competitive when they make their Rugby World Cup debut in Australia in 2027.

The Hong Kong China Rugby Union board of directors have agreed to fund the project, but it is yet to be decided what that group of players will look like and also where they will be playing their rugby between now and the tournament, which is just 26 months away.

One idea being explored is entering a franchise team of Hong Kong China-qualified players into the Japan Rugby League structure rather than releasing players back to their clubs in the weaker Hong Kong China Premiership.

For the last decade, the government has been funding the sevens programme due to success in the Asian Games and the carrot of Olympic funding, and that funding can’t be split, meaning the Union has to finance full-time contracts themselves.

“It’s massive, we’ll try and contract 35 if we can,” said head coach Andrew Douglas, who has steered the team to new heights.

“You can’t go to the World Cup with an amateur team, it’s too tough in this day and age.

“To give these players a fair chance, they have got to become full-time around S&C, around skill development, around technical and tactical knowledge, and they have got to play more Test matches together in order to do that.

“We want to give them the best chance possible to promote Hong Kong in a positive light.

“No one wants to go there and be a whipping boy.”

Douglas is pleased with how his squad is developing, but is actively scouring the world to try and tempt Hong Kong-eligible players to make themselves available.

One player Douglas is keen on is giant Edinburgh lock Rob Carmichael.

Carmichael, who stands 6’11 tall and is 22 years old, was born and raised in Hong Kong after his Scottish father and English/Welsh mother emigrated to Asia in the 90s, before returning to the UK in 2019.

“He travelled with Scotland on the South American tour last year, but never played and hasn’t been capped,” explained Douglas.

“He is one I have chatted to numerous times and obviously he is close to the Scotland radar. He is the tallest player in the URC, and that sort of player would be great to get back to Hong Kong.”

Unfortunately for Douglas and Hong Kong China rugby, the former England U20 international Nathan Earle is no longer an option.

Earle is also Hong Kong-born and was captained by Maro Itoje at the 2014 Junior World Cup. The winger then went on to play for Saracens, Harlequins and Newcastle in the Gallagher Premiership, but has now retired from the game, aged 30.

“There are a lot of Hong Kong-born living overseas that we’d love to get back,” remarked Douglas.

Players like prolific winger Matt Worley, however, have committed themselves to the cause.

Worley, who has a try-scoring strike rate to rival Will Jordan’s, was a key figure in Hong Kong’s successful qualification campaign and has decided to leave successful RFU Championship outfit Bedford Blues and move back to Hong Kong to play for the Hong Kong Football Club.

Getting such players regular game time in a competitive environment is another step that needs to be taken if Hong Kong China are to progress and improve on their ranking of 23rd in the world.

“We have talked about joining the J-League before,” confirmed Douglas.

“Japan has been very accommodating in us possibly putting a franchise team in a J-League situation. There are a few hurdles to cross first before we can actually complete that, so we will keep working with our board and behind the scenes to possibly get an opportunity like that.”

Hong Kong China booked their place at the 2027 World Cup after winning their sixth consecutive Asia Rugby Emirates Men’s Championship title earlier this month.

Douglas’ side beat the UAE and then signed off with a 70-22 win over hosts South Korea. Hong Kong China lost outside centre Benjamin Axten-Burrett to a 20-minute red card near the end of the first half, but the game had been effectively sewn up by then, with the defending champions taking a 42-3 lead into the break.

However, Douglas says he didn’t start to relax and appreciate the magnitude of what had been achieved until the final whistle.

“We had the red card just before half-time, so we didn’t know how that would affect the team. Because there was so much on the line, it was a funny old feeling throughout the game,” said Douglas.

“We had the game under control, but then we had the red card just before half-time and we didn’t know how that would affect the players. So I wasn’t really excited until that final whistle went and I could be relieved.

“There was so much going on. (Nathan) De Thierry got injured, so we’d lost our 10, and I’d used all my subs by that stage, so we played the last 10-15 minutes of that second half with only 14 as well.”

Leading Hong Kong China at the Rugby World Cup will undoubtedly be the highlight of Douglas’ career to date, although the Kiwi hasn’t let the grass grow under his feet up to now.

A former fly-half with the Wasps club in his youth, Douglas entered the coaching world at a young age, coaching at club and provincial level in Waikato before working with future All Blacks stars such as Sam Cane and Ardie Savea in a three-year stint as head coach of New Zealand Schools.

Overseas ventures followed, with Douglas getting Biella promoted into Italy’s Serie A division before he moved on to Toyota Verblitz in Japan and Old Glory DC in Major League Rugby in the USA.

Shortly after returning to New Zealand, Douglas was appointed head coach of the Hong Kong China men’s team alongside his wider remit role as head of technical and elite coaching at the Hong Kong RFU in August 2023.

“I’ve been very fortunate, rugby’s been very good to me; I have had some wonderful opportunities and I am very passionate about what I do,” acknowledged Douglas.

“It is sometimes very tough being away from home. My kids are still in New Zealand, my wife is still in New Zealand, so it’s hard being away for a length of time. I have a very patient wife who puts up with all of this and makes sure the kids are happy. She is our glue.”