Hong Kong China have qualified for the Men’s Rugby World Cup 2027 for the first time, following their 70-22 win over Korea on Saturday.
Hong Kong also made history as only the second Asian team, after Japan, to qualify for the tournament, according to a statement released by World Rugby.
“There has been an enormous commitment from the team over the last 12 months to best prepare. The team travelled to Chile, Paraguay and Brazil last summer, hosted Brazil twice in November, completed a full domestic rugby season, then held pre-tournament camps in Australia and Japan,” said Head Coach Andrew Douglas following the Asia Rugby Emirates Championship victory, according to Hong Kong China Rugby.
The Asia Rugby title granted the team an automatic qualification for the tournament taking place in Australia in October 2027.
The team, currently ranked 23rd in the World Rugby Men’s Rankings, won their sixth consecutive champions trophy at the Incheon contest on Saturday.
Chris Brooke, chair of Hong Kong China Rugby, congratulated the team on their achievement: “We have always said that potential Rugby World Cup qualification marked a huge opportunity for the four teams competing in this tournament, and indeed for rugby in Asia as a whole – and we are very proud to be joining Japan as a second Asian team at a Men’s Rugby World Cup.”
“Qualifying for a Men’s World Cup is a historic moment that will act as a further catalyst for growth at all levels of the game,” he added, according to the press statement.
