Josh Ball

6 days ago | scmp.com | Josh Ball

Hong Kong’s men are one win from qualifying for a World Cup for the first time, after a comfortable 78-7 victory over Sri Lanka at Kai Tak Youth Sports Ground on Sunday. A dominant forward display was more than enough to overcome sloppy mistakes against a team returning to the Asia Rugby Emirates Men’s Championship for the first time in more than a decade.

6 days ago | scmp.com | Josh Ball

Sri Lanka captain Tharinda Ratwatte said his side were coming to “make some noise” ahead of their Asia Rugby Emirates Men’s Championship clash with Hong Kong on Sunday. Back in the top tier of the competition after more than a decade, the Tuskers are considered significant underdogs for the game at Kai Tak Youth Sports Ground against a Hong Kong side who are unbeaten in the championship since 2018.

1 week ago | scmp.com | Josh Ball

Hong Kong have made six changes to their side for Sunday’s Asia Rugby Emirates Men’s Championship clash against Sri Lanka, with most in the pack, as head coach Andrew Douglas looks for some “bang”. While there are a couple of enforced switches, with prop Keelan Chapman and wing Max Denmark both carrying knocks, Douglas also has an opportunity to take a look at some players in a game at Kai Tak Youth Sports Ground that Hong Kong are expected to win.

1 week ago | scmp.com | Josh Ball

Hong Kong will make changes to the squad that beat the United Arab Emirates so convincingly last weekend in their opening Asia Rugby Championship match – despite not knowing much about Sunday’s next opponents, Sri Lanka. While not “changing for the sake of changing”, head coach Andrew Douglas said the likes of No 8 Luke van der Smit could return to the match-day 23, as his side take an approach with “a bit more bang” than they employed in the 43-10 win in Dubai.

1 week ago | scmp.com | Josh Ball

Frustration is not the overriding emotion you would normally expect on the back of a convincing 43-10 win, but then Hong Kong head coach Andrew Douglas has exacting standards. The Kiwi watched his side ultimately cruise past the United Arab Emirates in their opening Asia Rugby Championship fixture at the Sevens Stadium in Dubai on Saturday, but was not exactly thrilled with how they put together a six-try performance. He had a point.