Hong Kong China Women XV vs Netherlands 2023 Preview

Hong Kong China XV Women take on the Netherlands in Amsterdam today at the National Rugby Centre Stadium, in the final of their two-match European tour.

Maria Heitor (Portugal) will take charge of the Netherlands and Hong Kong China for the first time, and it will the first time she referees a team from outside of Europe.

HK China held on to narrowly beat Sweden 22-17 on Monday 1st May 2023 and the visitors have made changes from the win over Sweden which was their third victory in a row following the 2-0 series win over Kazakhstan in December 2022. Members of the 7s squad who were unavailable in the first test match as they were travelling from the Challengers Sevens Series in South Africa, have been selected to play the Dutch.

“There is always a good excitement when you play a close, close team in the world rankings,” HK China Head Coach Royce Chan said.

“We know the Netherlands has been in training, they have been playing in the European championship and they are in really good shape. They are big girls. We just need to see how it goes in the game. It has been like three years now, actually… It’s unsure, uncertain, but [we’re] also excited as well.”

With the ARWC coming up in May 2023 in Kazakhstan and HK China due to play the hosts, with WXV standings on the line, they are keen to impress. A second victory of the week for Hong Kong China would lift them to a new high of 14th in the World Rankings at Russia’s expense.

WXV 2023 Aspirations

On the hopes of qualifying for WXV, which Hong Kong China can achieve by winning their first match in the ARWC, and then with a final versus the winner of Japan vs China match determining which Asian team plays in WXV Division 2 and 3, Royce Chan added: “If Hong Kong China were able to qualify for the first-ever WXV, I think it shows a really good example for performance sports in Asia but also in Hong Kong China as well.

“Hopefully we will build good role models and try to encourage more people to get involved. COVID has been quite damaging in terms of player numbers. So, for the bigger picture, [by qualifying] we can try to expand our player numbers by bringing people back to rugby but also performance rugby.”

Image Credit: Netherlands Rugby

Hong Kong China XV Women’s Squad vs Netherlands

1. CHAN Hiu Tung 2. GOT Fion 3. LEE Ka Shun (CC) 4. TURNER Roshini 5. BALTAZAR Chloe 6. CHAN Chloe 7. AU YEUNG Sin Yi 8. LAM Tsz Yan 9. AU King To 10. RYAN Aileen 11. SO Yee Kei Cherly 12. QIAN Jiayu 13. OLSON-THORNE Natasha 14. NAM Ka Man 15. WRIGHT Rosanna 16. RICHARDSON Megan 17. DHAR Tanya 18. NG Ki Sum 19. CHOW Mei Nam (CC) 20. LI Nim Yan Melody Blessing 21. HO Jessica Wai On 22. LO Wing Yin 23. WONG Sze Ying

Netherlands XV Women’s Squad vs Hong Kong China

Sylke Haverkorn said via Rugby.nl that “the previous match against Hong Kong was exciting, and they were physically strong and we are looking forward to the contest.”

Hong Kong China was the winner in the two previous meetings between the sides, 14-12 and 18-0 in Amsterdam three and a half years ago before the pandemic.

Match Permutations – Hong Kong China vs Netherlands Women’s XV

• Hong Kong China’s 22-17 win over Sweden on Monday gave them a provisional improvement of 0.76 rating points in the World Rankings.
• A draw against the Netherlands would gain Hong Kong China another 0.22 of a point but this is not enough to improve on 15th place.
• Defeat for Hong Kong China would wipe out any gains made from beating Sweden, leaving them at least 0.02 of a point down from where they started the week.
• The Netherlands would become the higher ranked of the two nations in 15th with victory.
• Hong Kong China can fall no lower than 16th in defeat as a loss by more than 15 points would still leave them sat 0.51 of a point above Fiji below.
• A second victory of the week for Hong Kong China would lift them to a new high of 14th at Russia’s expense.
• Defeat on home soil will see the Netherlands fall a place to 17th with Fiji the beneficiaries and the Dutch will also slip below Samoa if the margin of defeat is by more than 15 points. This would equal their lowest-ever position of 18th, last held at the end of 2019.

The match will be streamed for free here.