Hong Kong China Women take on Madagascar on Friday 4 October 2024 for their second WXV3 2024 fixture, and the game is a must-win if the HKCR women want to keep their RWC 2025 qualification dream alive at the Emirates Stadium in Dubai.
This will be the first-ever test between HKCR and Madagascar (and the first African team that Hong Kong China faces in their test history), and both sides lost their open fixtures in WXV3 2024, with HKCR falling to Fiji 3-38, but the African side, who were playing their first ever test outside of Africa, were well beaten by Spain 0-83.
The Madagascar team qualified for WXV3 after reaching the final of the Rugby Africa Women’s Cup 2024, and surprisingly beat Kenya but lost to South Africa in the final. In their only preparation test before arriving in Dubai, the Lady Makis (the Madagascar women’s team nickname) were well beaten by a better Kenyan team 19-63.
HKCR Women’s Head Coach Andrew Douglas has made a few starting changes as well as positional changes – with the HKCR side seeing the introduction of Georgia Rivers, Chan Hiu Tung, and Mei Nam coming in for Karen So, Lucia Bolton, and Hoi Laam. Most of the squad selection is the same and the Kiwi coach feels they have the best possible team to get a result against Madagascar.
Douglas said in the build-up, “We have to move on and take our lessons from it (the Fiji loss) but we’re excited about Madagascar. It’s been a good week and there’s been a bit of soul-searching and some pretty clear messages from the coaching staff and from the team’s leaders, so hopefully that’s been absorbed, and we can look forward to Madagascar.”
HKCR captain Pun Wai Yan (PY) felt the message to the side was clear and they are ready to show what they are capable of against a team they would now be expected to beat. “We all are quite excited to play our best this weekend and show how good Hong Kong China can be on the world stage. We know we need to fight for the full 80 minutes and we can use this week to build up our confidence.”
The pack struggled against a powerful Fiji setup with the scrums just about holding steady at times, but the lineouts were an issue with the Pacific Islanders disrupting them well. In fact the match had a WXV record of 31 scrums (excluding resets) mainly from the 25 knock-ons recorded during the match which doesn’t make for good reading.
Veteran front-row forward Tammy Lau Nga-wun, who was part of the squad at RWC 2017, said they had addressed the lineouts in training and said of the challenge Madagascar would pose, “They probably have bigger-sized players than us but I think we can beat them with speed and in the attack. I’m really looking forward to playing them to see what we can do on the field.” Madagascar did win all of their own 8 scrum feeds in the loss to Spain.
At fullback, Sabay Lynam, is also confident for the second WXV3 match, “I’m hoping to see us be more lethal on the edges, being able to get the ball wide and have a go at them on the wings which would really change the tempo of our game. We didn’t do it enough against Fiji, so I’m hoping that we can get more chances to do that. We’re all really determined to get the win this Friday.”
Madagascar had to spend most of their loss defending but centre Valisoa Razanakiniana made 18 tackles! The African side has six personnel changes to the side that was beaten by Spain last Friday.
Shanda Assmus (Canada) will make her test debut as the match referee.
The fixtures and results for WXV3 can be seen here.
Match Permutations – HKCR vs Madagascar WXV 3 (October 2024)
- Hong Kong China are ranked 18th and Madagascar are ranked 25th by World Rugby.
- Madagascar will move to a new high of 24th if they beat Hong Kong China.
- If HKCR lose by more than 15 points they will drop below Kazakhstan into 18th place.
- HKCR can not improve its ranking even if they win.
HKCR Squad vs Madagascar – WXV3 2024
You can read more in our collaboration piece with HKCR here.
1 LAU Nga Wun (Gai Wu)
2 DHAR Tanya (Valley)
3 HEREWINI Kea (Valley)
4 TURNER Roshini (HKFC)
5 BALTAZAR Micayla (USRC Tigers)
6 PUN Wai Yan © (Gai Wu)
7 CHAN Tsz Ching (HKFC)
8 FORREST Shanna (Kowloon)
9 HO Jessica Wai On (USRC Tigers)
10 RIVERS Georgia (Kowloon)
11 SMITH Zoe (Valley)
12 RIVERS Gabriella (HKFC)
13 OLSON-THORNE Natasha (USRC Tigers)
14 CHONG Ka Yan (USRC Tigers)
15 LYNAM Sabay (Kowloon)
Reserves
16 GOT Fion (HKFC)
17 CHAN Hiu Tung
18 LEE Ka Shun (Gai Wu)
19 BALTAZAR Chloe (USRC Tigers)
20 CHOW Mei Nam (Gai Wu)
21 WAN Tsz Yau (Gai Wu)
22 FUNG Hoi Ching (Gai Wu)
23 UEMATSU Haruka (Valley)
Madagascar Squad vs Hong Kong China – WXV3 2024
15. Tiana Razanamahefa, 14. Olivia Hanittrinaina, 13. Veronique Rasoanekena, 12. Valisoa Razanakiniana, 11. Claudia Rasoarimalala, 10. Voahirana Razafiarisoa, 9. Vonjimalala Ranorovololona, 1. Nanou Razafializay, 2. Nomenjanahary Rakotozafi, 3. Fenitra Razafindramanga, 4. Felana Rakotoarison, 5. Eleonore Rasoanantenaina, 6. Oliviane Andriatsilavina, 7. Delphine Raharimalala, 8. Sarindra Sahondramalala (captain).
Replacements: 16. Mamisoa Rasoarimalala, 17. Laurence Rasoanandrasana, 18. Miora Rabarivelo, 19. Sariaka Nomenjanahary, 20. Volatiana Rasoanandrasana, 21. Joela Mirasoa Fenohasina, 22. Marie Bodonandrianina, 23. Zaya Fanantenana.
How To Watch WXV 2024
The WXV3 2024 will be available to watch on RugbyPass TV or your local broadcaster which be found on the fixtures page of the WXV website. For fans in Dubai, the matches are free to attend.
WXV Rugby News 2024
- Hong Kong China vs Fiji WXV3 2024 Preview.
- Hong Kong China Confirm WXV3 2024 Squad.
- Pools & Schedule Confirmed For WXV 2024.
- WXV 2024 Details Confirmed – WXV 3 Heads Back To Dubai.
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