Fiji beat Hong Kong 54-26 in the second round of the WXV Global Series Challenger at Kai Tak Youth Sports Ground today (Sept.19), but the home side's performance, particularly in a ferocious opening half hour, earned warm applause from the home crowd.
Ranked 12th in the world, Fiji proved too clinical in the end, but Hong Kong, ranked 16th, showed enough to suggest they are building toward the World Cup in 2029.
A brave start
Kristie Stevenson, one of Hong Kong's more experienced player, said the opening 30 minutes were the reward for a week of hard work. "It was a really tough match and we really wanted to go after them," Stevenson said. "I think we proved we could do that in the first 30, close to. Unfortunately we're not on the right side of the scoreline, but I had so much fun."
Teenage player Lauren Knowler, making her first start in a home Test, said she was thrilled with her own contribution. "I feel good about how I scored," Knowler said, grinning. "I feel very happy."
Part-time players' reality
What makes the result easier to stomach — and what makes the home support so fierce — is that most of Hong Kong's squad are not professional athletes. They have day jobs. They train after work.
HK player Kea Herewini explained the build-up. "We've been training for WXV since June," Herewini said. "Phase one was pure running to make sure we were fit enough for the Hong Kong heat. Phase two was game structure and set pieces. Then we came into camp two weeks ago."
"Last week on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday, all our girls were at work," Herewini said. "Only about 15 or 20 of us were actually in camp. The rest would wake up at six or seven, go to work, finish at four or five in the afternoon, and then come straight to training. Imagine switching from work mode into training mode after a full day. That's really hard."
Herewini, 26, was born in Hong Kong to a British mother and a New Zealand father. She started playing rugby at five and says the sport has been the thread tying her to the city. "Rugby is such an inclusive sport," she said. "It's a sisterhood. You all want to achieve the same thing for each other, you've got each other's backs."
Hong Kong missed out on qualification for the 2025 Women's Rugby World Cup. Herewini said that disappointment is now fueling a new four-year cycle."We're starting to believe we actually can do it," Herewini said.
Parents and fans cheer from the stands
Among the supporters was Jo, a British mother whose daughter has played for Hong Kong for six years. Her daughter came off the bench on Saturday. I’m honestly astounded how they can manage to play and keep their physicality while holding down full-time jobs," Jo said. "These girls are out there, they have full-time jobs, they're doing physio after. They need more help. They need more money behind them."
Another fan said: "Female players have families, they have their own jobs. They work really hard day in, day out. My message to them is: don't give up on your dreams. You can do everything if you want."
A retired player's call for more
Candy Cheng Tsz Ting, chairwoman of Gai Wu RFC and a former Hong Kong 7s and 15s representative, said the match underscored what the women's game in Hong Kong still needs.
"Retired athletes always say the same thing — we need more support," Cheng said. "Financial support, facilities — indoor and outdoor, recovery resources. The players get very little allowance. They have full-time jobs and need their employers to let them train. If the government could put in place a proper allowance system, give them more media attention, that would change everything."
Cheng said women's rugby is an emerging sport globally. "Sport should not be about gender," she said. "These players deserve equal opportunity to express themselves on the field."
Officials weigh in
Two local referees, Jan Tang and Thomas Ngan, were appointed as assistant referees for the tournament — one of the first times Hong Kong women have officiated at this level.
Tang, who has refereed since 2018, said the WXV experience was a professional step up. "The standard is much higher than local games," Tang said. "There are pre-tournament briefings, three-day refresher sessions, pre- and post-match meetings. It's been a real learning curve. And it's great to see more women coming into officiating as well as playing."
Ngan, who has refereed in Australia, South Africa and Japan, said Hong Kong's home advantage had been valuable for the players. "These girls are playing against world-class teams in their own stadium," he said. "That's the kind of experience that builds toward a World Cup."
Next up: Samoa
Hong Kong play their final WXV Challenger match against Samoa on September 26, also at Kai Tak.
Herewini said the squad will take the positives from Saturday and reset. "As long as we put out a performance we're happy with, we'll be proud," she said. "But we're hungry for more."
（Reporter & Video: Lynn Zhou）
Related News:
Six WXV captains set sail in HK as Global Challenger Series kicks off
Comment