Asia Rugby Women’s Championship: Hong Kong relish semi-final with WXV place up for grabs
- They take on hosts Kazakhstan, who coach Royce Chan says ‘always give us a surprise’ – but Hong Kong won the sides’ past two meetings
- Japan await in the final and both finalists will earn spots in World Rugby’s new competition aimed at growing the women’s game
Hong Kong begin their tilt at the Asia Rugby Women’s Championship on Tuesday when they face hosts Kazakhstan, and they do so with an added incentive.
Should they triumph to progress to Sunday’s final, they will also qualify for WXV, World Rugby’s new international competition aimed at increasing the competitiveness, reach and impact of the women’s game.
Set to take place this October and November, the new tournament will consist of three tiers and feature teams from Europe’s Six Nations and the Pacific Four Series, as well as qualifiers from Asia, Australasia, South America and Africa.
The winners and losing finalists in this week’s 12th edition of the Asian competition in Almaty will join WXV’s second and third tiers, to be held respectively in South Africa and a location yet to be decided.
One of those representatives will be Japan, after China’s withdrawal from the continental event sent them straight through to the final. That leaves Hong Kong and Kazakhstan to contest the other spot.
