Why retired Hong Kong professional women’s rugby player wants more girls to play the sport
- Lai Pou-fan, who won 35 Hong Kong caps in 15s and sevens rugby, says few women played game when she started aged 17
- School teacher also works as coach with HSBC Try Rugby Programme, which since 2017 has introduced the sport to more than 55,000 children
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Former professional rugby player Lai Pou-fan has never forgotten the euphoria of competing for the Hong Kong women’s team.
“At the end of the game, when the referee blew the final whistle, we were all ecstatic – shouting, running and hugging each other,” Lai, 32, says. “That moment is still fresh in my mind.”
Rugby’s huge positive impact on her life convinced Lai that children, particularly girls, should have the opportunity to experience playing the sport and the benefits it offers.
“The speed and focus [that rugby training demands] pushed me and gave me a great sense of achievement,” says Lai, who first played the game aged 17, and won 13 Hong Kong caps in 15s rugby, and 22 in sevens rugby.
“The communication and connection players must develop with one another means we inevitably form close friendships.”
Team sports such as rugby have also been shown to help children, especially girls, by improving their self-esteem and confidence and giving them a sense of empowerment, Lai says.
Today the physical education (PE) teacher at the girls’ school, Pui Tak Canossian College, in Aberdeen, is also a qualified school rugby coach with the HSBC Try Rugby Programme, which helps to provide teachers with rugby knowledge to teach the sport at primary and secondary schools.
The mixed-gender programme – a joint partnership between HSBC, the Hong Kong Rugby Union (HKRU) and the Education University of Hong Kong – focuses on touch rugby, which is a limited-contact version of the game that is suitable for all children and teenagers.
Lai says starting to play rugby opened up a world of opportunities for her – paving the way for her career and lifelong passion – and she is grateful to be able to share her love of the sport with her students.
Rugby is for girls, too
In Hong Kong, rugby is considered the third most popular team sport after basketball and football, but women make up only 28 per cent of players, the HKRU says.
The HSBC Try Rugby Programme aims to introduce the sport to students of all abilities and genders by incorporating rugby into the PE curriculum of more schools.
Lai is pleased the programme, launched in 2017, is helping to inspire more girls to become future rugby players.
“When I first started playing rugby, we only had one level of competition for women’s rugby,” she says. “Today, we have three levels, with about eight to 10 teams in each level. That’s a big step.”
HKRU has seen an increase in women taking part in the sport over the years. It says 56 women represented Hong Kong in 15s and sevens rugby last year.
Last year, the HSBC Try Rugby Programme – just one of the ways HSBC is working to promote sports to the wider community – provided training and equipment to enable 61 teachers to teach the sport at primary and secondary schools in the city.
Since its launch, the programme has introduced more than 55,000 children to rugby and hosted coaching clinics for more than 470 teachers in Hong Kong.
“Some of the programme’s participants have gone on to join clubs to hone their skills and compete in the sport,” Lai says. “I’ve even met some of them on the sports field or playing in matches; these moments are particularly memorable.”
Watch the video as Lai Pou-fan rejects stereotypes surrounding the sport and explains why rugby should be accessible to everyone – regardless of their gender.