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Paul McNamara

An instruction to spend an afternoon in the watering hole for work was a fair clue that Saturday was a unique day for Hong Kong sport.
“A historic moment for Hong Kong rugby and for Hong Kong,” concluded Brett Free, an independent director of Hong Kong, China Rugby (HKCR).
Free was among around 30 people who gathered in The Globe, in Central, to watch the city team pulverise South Korea and qualify for the 2027 Rugby World Cup.
After only two minutes, the rumbling cheers as Matt Worley surged for the line reached a crescendo when the wing touched down.
As he ordered his prematch drink, Mikey Bray, an analyst for the Hong Kong team, had said he was “nervous but confident”.
“I’m not taking anything for granted, but we have a strong team and should be all right,” added Bray.

His assertion was proved correct from the moment Worley gave Hong Kong lift-off. The absence of jeopardy made for an appreciative rather than rowdy audience, despite the bar staff being kept busy satisfying eclectic tastes, as orders for beer, cider, stout and wine rained in. It took every ounce of willpower to ask for a lime soda.
While those quietly savouring Hong Kong’s success tucked into steepling burgers and chips, or The Globe’s trademark pies, most of the noise was being created by fans roaring on France in their breathless 31-27 loss in New Zealand.
In truth, the fast and physical sport being played on the screen surrounded by the boisterous contingent was different from the one simultaneously contested by Hong Kong and their compliant hosts.
Not that friends Nick Lesek and Sunil Talwar cared about that. The pair were accompanied by their 17-year-old sons, both talented local rugby players. Leon Lesek is part of the Hong Kong under-20 set-up.
“We have thought about the fact Leon could be playing [in 2027 World Cup], but qualifying is just a massive elevation for rugby in Hong Kong,” said Nick Lesek, who is originally from Australia. “The effect will be manifold. It will encourage people to play.
“There’s a perception in the Chinese community that rugby is brutal, but if you’re exposed to it from an early age, you learn how to be safe.”

Talwar knew nothing about rugby growing up in India, but “fell in love with the fun part of the sport” when he attended the Hong Kong 7s around 25 years ago.
“It’s in our blood: my son is Indian and Canadian, and was born and brought up in Hong Kong, and he started playing in the mini-leagues,” Talwar said.
Talwar’s son, Ronin, is coached at Valley by Luke van der Smit, whose powerhouse closing try drew laughs from the fans back home. It sent Nick and Sunil off to Tai Kwun to begin their celebrations, too.
Meanwhile, Jamie Farndale, HKCR’s general manager for club development and sustainability, saluted “a huge achievement for Hong Kong rugby”.
“It puts us on the world stage, which has been our focus for a few years,” he added.
Bray was watching with Tayler Coates; Sam Down, a former Hong Kong U20 player; and Florence Savage. The quartet all plan to follow Hong Kong in Australia. “I grew up playing rugby here, so have always been around it,” Coates said. “It was a landmark moment when the women qualified in 2017; it’s great the men have now achieved it too.”
As the applause and appreciative whistles that followed full-time died down, Free explained he had come out with HKCR colleagues “to show solidarity for the Hong Kong team”.
“It’s something worth celebrating, and celebrating with a group of people is much better than at home by yourself watching on TV,” he added.
“It was a convincing and emphatic win. This will catapult the game to a whole new level in Hong Kong. Hopefully, it can inspire young people to play and aspire to reach the global stage.”


Hong Kong men begin quest to join 7s elite against Samoa, Tonga, Colombia at HSBC SVNS 3

Rugby World Cup 2027: can Hong Kong close gap before facing Wallabies, All Blacks?

2027 Rugby World Cup draw: Hong Kong welcome clashes with Australia, New Zealand

2027 Rugby World Cup draw: when is it, how do I watch, who could Hong Kong play?

Hong Kong China Rugby

‘A huge achievement’: Hong Kong fans gather to cheer heroes to 2027 Rugby World Cup

Rugby fans at The Globe cheering on Hong Kong against South Korea. Photo: Nora Tam

Lifelong fan Tayler Coates (red cap) and her friends cheering on the Hong Kong team. Photo: Nora Tam

Sunil Talwar (far left) and Nick Lesek (far right) with their sons at The Globe on Saturday. Photo: Nora Tam

Key Hong Kong rugby sevens pair set to return after injury and childbirth

Seb Brien, here in 15s action for Hong Kong, is poised for his sevens return on Saturday. Photo: Yik Yeung-man

Melody Li leaps highest during a 2023 training session at King’s Park Sports Ground. Photo: Yik Yeung-man

More Hong Kong success for Ceci Lee, but coach downplays feats ahead of China Championships

Ceci Lee, with Law Ching-kiu in her shadow, breezes to elimination race gold. Photo: Edmond So

Lee with elimination race silver and bronze medallists Boey Leung (left) and Guardiola Cheung. Photo: Edmond So

Sport

Rugby

Hong Kong Rugby Union

International Rugby

Supporters and union staff congregate at Central pub The Globe to savour the city team’s trouncing of South Korea in Incheon


Supporters and union staff congregate at Central pub The Globe to savour the city team’s trouncing of South Korea in Incheon.


Hong Kong International Test Rugby

‘A huge achievement’: Hong Kong fans gather to cheer heroes to 2027 Rugby World Cup

.css-1c6uqr6{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;overflow-wrap:break-word;}Supporters and union staff congregate at Central pub The Globe to savour the city team’s trouncing of South Korea in Incheon

Supporters and union staff congregate at Central pub The Globe to savour the city team’s trouncing of South Korea in Incheon