2025 Tradition HKFC 10s Dates Locked In & Teams Confirmed

rugbyasia247 Posted On March 25, 2025

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The 2025 Tradition HKFC 10s will be the 37th edition of the Hong Kong Football Club’s flagship rugby event and the dates for the tournament have been confirmed to be Wednesday 26th & Thursday 27th March with the full complement of teams announced.

Photo Credit – 2025 Tradition HKFC 10s

Updated March 2025 (Teams, Pools & Events, Samoa Withdrawn)

As is tradition, the world’s leading invitational rugby tens tournament takes place in the lead-up to the Cathay/HSBC Hong Kong Sevens and is sanctioned by Hong Kong China Rugby (HKCR).

For the past two editions, women’s tens rugby has been included and there will once again be both women’s and men’s rugby on show at the Hong Kong Football Club.

Paul Christopher, Chair of 10s Organising Committee, expressed his excitement: “We have been overwhelmed by the number of quality teams that have applied for an invitation to the 2025 tournament. We are currently selecting the final places from the very best teams from around the world for both the men’s and women’s competitions.”

Olympic Rugby Sevens Stars Play The Tradition HKFC 10s

Over the years several capped international XVs and Sevens players have been involved in the HKFC 10s tournament, and 2024 saw 10s players that went on to compete at the Paris 2024 Olympics in Rugby Sevens, including Asian-based players Ma Xiaodan, Wang Wanyu, Yang Fei Fei and Zhou Yan, all representing China’s women’s team who ended up a record best 6th.

Other 2024 Olympians who have played in the HKFC 10s are; Henry Hutchison (AUS), Hayden Sergeant (AUS) Sidney Taylor (AUS), Abi Burton (GB), Harry McNulty (Ireland), Ngarohi McGarvey-Black (NZ), Tone Ng Shiu (NZ), Joe Webber (NZ), Tysha Ikenasio (NZ), Naima Fuala’au (USA).

Rocky Khan who played in the 2016 HKFC 10s tournament was a Coach for the China Olympic team in 2024 and is still part of their setup for the Asia Rugby Emirates Sevens Series.

Olympic Rugby Sevens Stars Play The Tradition HKFC 10s

Photo Credit HKFC Rugby – China Five Stars triumph over Shandong Rugby Club to claim the Women’s Championship at the Tradition HKFC 10s 2024

2025 Tradition HKFC 10s Teams & Key Players

The 2025 Men’s Competition was due to showcase a highly competitive field of 12 teams, running concurrently with an 8-team Women’s Competition, ensuring thrilling rugby action for all fans. However, it was announced on the eve of the tournament that the Mourant Samoa men’s side which was the the Samoa national rugby sevens team, due to make its debut had withdrawn and Shenzen Pirates have stepped in to fill the gap!

Heather Fisher, England Rugby World Cup winner and Team GB Olympian has been a head coach at the two previous tournaments. She said, “The standard of rugby gets better every year. It was great to see so many players from this year’s tournament go on to play in the Paris Olympics. I am excited to be coming back in 2025.”

Pig Athletic Club from Australia will be back after they made a fantastic run to the Cup Final in the 2024 tournament. Head Coach Loveni Enari, a former Samoan 7s international, said, ‘We exceeded everyone else’s expectations, but fell short of our own. We’re excited to return and seize the opportunity to go one better!”

The Shogun Men have confirmed that recently retired NZ7s legend and former captain Scott Curry will be with the side in a coaching capacity at the HKFC10s in 2025.

RKS New Zealand Legends Women’s team is confirmed for the 2025 Tradition HKFC 10s with Rugby World Cup winner Anna Richards announced as a coach

For the Women’s Haywards Tropics side, Celia Quansah who has represented Great Britain at the Tokyo Olympic Games in Rugby 7s and currently plays professional rugby for England Premiership side, Leicester Tigers is set to return having won the Plate in 2024.

Mourant Samoa Men Withdraw On the Eve of the Tournament

It was announced on March 24 2025 by the organisers that they had “received notification from the Samoan Rugby Union (SRU) of their intention to withdraw from the 2025 Tradition HKFC 10s due to unforeseen circumstances including player injuries and an inability to secure flights.”

They added that they were trying to find a replacement team in Pool C, alongside Tradition YCAC, HKFC Natixis Club and Taikoo Place Scottish Exiles and there will be no changes to the tournament schedule.

Confirmed Men’s Teams & Pools 2025 – HKFC 10s

Confirmed Men's Teams & Pools 2025 - HKFC 10s

Pool A

Shogun RFC – Former NZ 7s legend Scott Curry will be with the team in a Senior Coach role. The side is captained by Oscar Koller and Leo Ngatai-Tafau while the Head Coach is Jimmy Maher, and DoR is Terry Sands. Keep an eye on Liam Blyde who is NZ Black Ferns 7s legend and all-time highest Women’s HBSC Sevens Series top try scorer Michaela Blake’s brother.
Ashbury Tropics – The side was a finalist in the Winter 7s Toulouse 2025.
Shandong Men (China) – Head Coach Lu Xiaohui (founder of Shandong) assisted by Wang Jianhua as the Men’s team make their HKFC 10s debut.
SHRM Overseas OldBoys – Former HKCR 7s Men’s captain Max Woodward takes over from his dad and will be the Head Coach.

Pool B

Pig Athletic Club – Runners-up in 2024, the squad has again partnered with the Aussie 7s program, and former Fijian international Teti Tela and former Aussie 7s international Tom Connor will lead the squad. Head Coach is Loveni Enari (former Manu Samoa 7s international and player) and his Assistant Coach is Tom Connor (former Aussie 7s international)
Union Bordeaux Bègles (France) – The side will be coached by former French 7s player and pro 15s (Top14 Clubs Brive and Bordeaux) Laurent Ferrères. He is the Head Coach of the Union Bordeaux Beglés 7s program and the UBB 10s team in the 2025 HKFC 10s tournament.
Valley Broncos – Composed of international and Hong Kong-based players, the coaches include Gus Leger as Head Coach (Valley RFC Men’s Premiership Head Coach, Hong Kong U20’s Coach, Former Moana Pasifika Development Coach), and the Assistant Coach is Sam Hocking (Valley RFC Men’s Premiership Assistant Coach)
Preseli Babas – Comprises a mix of premier Welsh players from around the world and at the helm are Rhodri Davies (Team Manager) and Tomos Howells (works with HKCR senior rep teams).

Pool C

Tradition YCAC – Former NZ7s and current China 7s coach Rocky Khan is part of the coaching team but Simon Ryan and Nigel Walsh (NZ Heartland XV 2024 coach) are Head Coaches.
Scottish Exiles (Hong Kong China) – The local side has Alex Allan as Head Coach (109 caps for Glasgow Warriors in the Pro 14 and 8 caps for Scotland as well as Hong Kong Scottish Director of Rugby and a coach for the HKCR senior sides), and Sam Beard {former Edinburgh (Scotland), Dragons (Wales), Crusaders (Australia) and Hong Kong Scottish player, and head coach of Hong Kong Scottish and coach for the HKCR women’s team.}
Natixis HKFC (Hong Kong China) – The team will be coached by Logan Asplin who joined three seasons ago from Hamilton Boys High School and is also a backs and attack coach for the Hong Kong China Rugby national team.
Shenzhen Pirates – Late to step in to replace Samoa, the team won the All China Cup 2025 and were the winners of the Hong Kong China Rugby Prem A Final this season.

Mourant Samoa (WITHDRAWN) – The Samoa national rugby sevens team, was going to make its debut at the 2025 Tradition HKFC 10s and to eb coached by Matamua Upati Junior Salima.

Confirmed Women’s Teams & Pools 2025 – HKFC 10s

The full tournament schedule for the 2025 Tradition HKFC 10s is here.

Confirmed Women's Teams & Pools 2025 - HKFC 10s

Pool A

Shandong Women (China) – The team were runners-up in 2024 and the side’s Head Coach Lu Xiaohui (founder of Shandong), assisted by Feng Wenru.
RKS New Zealand Legends Women – 4x Rugby World Cup winner and former Hong Kong coach Anna Richards Head Coach and Deano Herewini is a coach, with a roster including NZ Sevens and Black Ferns, including Kendra Reynolds (2021 Rugby World Cup); Crystal Mayes and Rina Paraone (NZ 7s).
Nagato Blue Angels (Japan) – The side has announced several new signings so it will be interesting to see if they play in Hong Kong and are coached by Lote Raikabula (Former All Blacks Sevens/Thailand Head Coach)
Valley Broncos – Making their debut at the tournament, the side comprises HK players and the Head Coach is Bella Milo (current Valley RFC Women’s Premiership Head Coach, Hong Kong Seniors Women’s Coach, Samoa Senior Women’s Coach) and the Assistant Coach is Kevin West (current Valley RFC Women’s Premiership Assistant Coach)

Pool B

Shogun Rebels – A mix of Australian and GB players coached by Luke Smart & Angus McGrath.
Natixis HKFC Ice (Hong Kong China) – Coached by Hannah Edwards who joined the club as Head of Women’s Rugby at the beginning of the 2024/25 season (she previously played for Wasps RFC and coached with England U18s and U20s.)
Beijing Rugby (China) – The team’s Head Coach is Ma Jiale (former China 7s and 15s player) and Assistant Coaches are former players Yang Hong and Lu Peng.
Hayward Tropics – The side is again managed by former England player Heather Fisher.

You can see more about the 2024 Tradition HKFC 10s winners here.

2025 Tradition HKFC 10s – 2025 Legends Charity Match

The Tradition HKFC 10s will be partnering with Laureus Sport For Good and Mind The Waves for the 2025 Legends Charity Match, and they hope to raise HK $350,000 to help deliver a sports and mental health programme aimed at young local people. The match is due to be played at 16:30 on Wednesday 26 March 2025 at HKFC.

This is part of the 10x10s initiative and it will be the third time the “Legends Charity Match” will take place and previously helped raise funds in 2019 (Hong Kong Cancer Fund) and in 2023 (Laureus Sport For Good and My Name’5 Doddie Foundation).

Mind The Waves is a Hong Kong-based charity founded in 2023 by Olympic swimmers, Camille Cheng, Stephanie Au and Jamie Yeung with a focus on mental well-being.

HKFC 10s - 2025 Legends Charity Match